BEFORE Juneteenth holiday.....

Dear National Public Radio friends:


In her unwarranted attack on Juneteenth,
Rochelle Riley claims
that Juneteenth ( circa 1865+)
is "the oldest"
( the first )
of African American holidays.

WRONG.

Between the American Revolution and the Civil War,
African-Americans and their allies
demonstrated annually for civil rights and against slavery.
( I think this was called Freedom Day, but I'm not sure.)
They especially honored black veterans of the Revolution.
( Remember Crispus Attucks,
the first American patriot to fall. )


After 1808 or so, this demonstration also celebrated the outlawing of the
trans-Atlantic slave trade
(even tho some ships still smuggled slaves
into the U.S. illegally).


These annual celebrations continued after the Civil War, perhaps into the 1880s(?);
additionally honoring Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.


Persons of all races were welcome to attend.



L. A. P.
Monday
19 June 2006 (Juneteenth)
The Tenderloin, SF, CA
.....................