Today celebrates the fact that those in power will never give it up until they have to.
On this date in 1865—two years after the Emancipation and TWO MONTHS after the rebellion fueled by racism ended—slaveholders in Texas literally gave up what they believe was “theirs” ONLY at the point of a gun. The fact that what they were giving up Men, Women and Children was secondary—all they thought of was them losing their “property.”
Why do I suspect that somewhere at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. there is a draft proclamation/statement saying that today should be a day of mourning since it recognizes/celebrates the end of a “very good, very big” economic system that help “Make America Great” at the hand of an “oppressive government.”
Because of what I do, I try not to buy into conspiracy theories, but because of the current administration, this conspiracy gave me pause: that if it wasn’t for the deserved blowback it would receive if they had, I do believe they would rescind this holiday as part of their effort to bring this country back to the 19th century when good colored people knew their place.
To be quite honest, in this effort to deport anyone who looks brown and speaks with any type of accent, I’m surprised this administration hasn’t announced its economic plan to have famers and large growing operations invite people to own property on their land in exchange for helping grow and harvest the crops—you know—SHARECROPPING!!
Let us remember on this day that too much has happened to stop the momentum that has brought us to the present time. As much as many of my melanin-lacking friends want to go back to the days to where everyone knew that “God was a White Man,” just like a glacier we will continue to inevitably move forward—and just like a glacier, we will crush the bigotry and racism that continues to rule the day under its path.
Because today—tomorrow—and going forward–we won’t back down.
Freedom doesn’t come on a silver platter. With every great movement toward freedom there will inevitably be trials. Somebody will have to have the courage to sacrifice. You don’t get to the Promised Land without going through the Wilderness. You don’t get there without crossing over hills and mountains, but if you keep on keeping on, you can’t help but reach it. We won’t all see it, but it’s coming and it’s because God is for it. When God is for a thing it will survive. Don’t worry about some things we have to go through. Some of them are a necessary part of the great movement we are making toward freedom. There can never be growth without growing pains. There is no birth without birth pains. Like the mother suffering when she gives birth to new life, we know there is glory beyond the pain.
We won’t back down. We are going on with our movement.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
March, 1956
Until Next Time
Thoughts From A Short Round Black Man 