For a Movement for Black Progress and Juneteenth Commemoration

I am back to a periodic topic which I touch upon once in a while. Living in U.S. has me detached to rendering any service or seva on the ground. This used to be my regular activity back in India where I used to get involved in several activities serving the under privileged. We had several organizations back in India working in this sphere which comes up with a range of activities around education, environment, health etc. These opportunities include teaching a group of students in a class room setting for scholarship tests, teaching math, serving as covid warriors giving medical kits, distributing food in lockdown times, participating in surveys on the ground, periodic get togethers and other host of activities has my penchant invigorated to serve others and played into my interest of working for the bottom half. Somehow these activities didn’t carry over to occupy my time in foreign nation where the motto of ‘serving the living humans as serving the God’ didn’t exactly play out on the ground for me. I am covering the lost ground by writing on the issues impacting the lesser fortunate in the U.S. This online awareness and narratives may not be a replacement for offline activity on ground but my sincere attempt towards keeping the ‘help’ bus going.  

I really like to serve U.S. by serving its black population. Infact, the truth is the progressive blacks served me directly more than any other U.S. citizens. More than me helping them, I received as much support and help from them. Literally, I wouldn’t have entered U.S. without blacks in 2017 and 2022, the most invigorating two trips I made in my life. They provided me a passage in that the black officers at the ports of entry allowed me into the U.S. in the last two terms. These progressive blacks managed me, ran the company I work in the last four toughest years and became key figures in shaping my story as it happened. Literally, without them, I wouldn’t have entered the U.S. and lived through most happening times of my life. At a larger level, ss we had seen, India played the cricket T20 world cup group matches which was supposed to be hosted in West Indies in U.S. U.S. was never a big cricketing nation but hosted the world cup group matches in an effort to globalize the sport. The U.S.-West Indies partnership in hosting the world cup played out very well for the times since India won every match in U.S. and every match in West Indies as well to lift the T20 world cup today. Once again, I won because of this set of people and India won as well because of this group of old legendary people. They are the backbone for our stories playing out in U.S. in the way they had happened. The reason for this progressive black evolution in U.S. dates back to more than 150 years. Blacks have evolved by leaps and bounds in the past one and a half century to reach this point. Hence, more than me reaching out to them, they have reached out to me in the most progressive place for Blacks – Chicago. The minimum I can reciprocate is to serve them sincerely in any means possible - more predominantly through this online medium which is in my capacity. 

 In my eagerness to serve them habitually, I am once again reaching out to the Black population in U.S. and in their continent in their month of breaking the shackles. We are at end of the June and passed through the Juneteenth day which is a major milestone for Blacks from the times of Lincoln, more than 150 years ago. In this important milestone month, which is relevant to the times as well, let us reminisce the reason behind the civil war which liberated the Blacks from the bonds of slavery and set them free on the path of great progress. The importance of freedom cannot be overstated, back then and now. Most of Americans are familiar with the Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued on January 1, 1863 and declared the freedom of former enslaved people in confederate states. Equally important as part of the story of the end of legal chattel slavery in the U.S. is June 19, 1865 – the day when U.S. army entered Texas, the last remaining confederate state in which enslaved people have not been yet fully liberated and declared the end of the civil war. Henceforth, Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, has become a significant day in American history that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans from the times of Lincoln. The holiday, which combines the words "June" and "nineteenth," marks the day in 1865 when Union General arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. This announcement came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth has since evolved into a celebration of African American culture, history, and achievements, embodying a spirit of resilience, freedom, and hope. 

The American Civil War, which took place from 1861 to 1865, was indeed fundamentally caused by slavery. While there were multiple factors that contributed to the conflict, slavery was the central issue driving the division between the Northern and Southern states. The institution of slavery created deep economic and cultural divides between the North and South, driving political conflicts and ultimately leading to the secession of Southern states. The war was fought over the future of slavery in America, and its resolution led to the abolition of slavery with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Black lives have taken off from this milestone moment and their lives should once again take off from the present times which are coherent to those of the yesteryear. 

The progress of Black Americans since the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 has been marked by significant advancements in civil rights, education, economic opportunities, and political representation, despite facing persistent challenges and systemic barriers. The seeds have been sown in this great land towards equality and end of racial discrimination. The Reconstruction era from 1865-77 saw significant efforts to integrate formerly enslaved individuals into American society. The 13th Amendment (1865) abolished slavery, the 14th Amendment (1868) granted citizenship and equal protection under the law, and the 15th Amendment (1870) aimed to secure voting rights for Black men. During Reconstruction, Black Americans made significant political gains. Several Black men were elected to public office. The end of Reconstruction led to the rise of Jim Crow laws, enforcing racial segregation and disenfranchising Black voters through literacy tests, poll taxes, and other discriminatory practices. Despite these challenges, Black Americans built resilient communities, establishing schools, churches, businesses, and social organizations.  

The Civil Rights Movement of 1950-60s was a pivotal period in the fight for racial equality. Landmark legal victories included the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) decision, which declared school segregation unconstitutional, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The number of Black elected officials has increased significantly since the Civil Rights Movement. Notable milestones include the election of Barack Obama as the first Black President of the United States in 2008 and Kamala Harris as the first Black and South Asian Vice President in 2021. It has taken the lives of greats like Lincoln and Martin Luther King to enforce the freedom and civil rights for these people. The America of today is built upon this important postulate of liberty for all and discrimination towards none through these periods of great fights, turmoil and struggle. 

 

Juneteenth is a monumental holiday for Black Americans that is worthy of profound celebration. It marks one of the first true virtues of accountability of a system that neglects and omits Black people from life-changing opportunities. However, it need not take 155 years to recognize and commemorate this important milestone and rededicate ourselves to the great cause. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, officially recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Till 2021, it was not even in our memory and not an off day. The days of yesteryear have returned in full circle to set the path of progress for Blacks for the next 155 years. As we continue to live through the years, we need to really progress as a society, state, nation and the world. In a way, the progress of the old legendary men and their inclusion towards equity sets the progress of the world. This has been the underlying theme of the work of great men of past, present and future. 

We really need to look at the progress of the Blacks in some numbers to know the real difference on the ground. If we look at the past two years, there has been some good progress. The Black unemployment rate has shown improvement. As of early 2024, the rate stands at 5.4%, a decrease from 6.2% in early 2022. Just 5% of black men are unemployed, up for 10% during pandemic times. Median household income for Black Americans has seen a modest increase. In 2023, it was approximately $50,000, up from $48,297 in 2021. The number of Black-owned businesses has continued to grow. In 2023, there were about 2.7 million Black-owned businesses in the U.S., reflecting ongoing entrepreneurial spirit and the impact of supportive programs and grants. The high school graduation rate for Black students reached 80% in the 2022-2023 school year, up from 79% in the 2020-2021 school year. College enrollment for Black students has been recovering from the pandemic's impact. In 2023, 34% of Black 18- to 24-year-olds were enrolled in college, slightly up from 33.4% in 2021. The percentage of Black Americans aged 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher rose to 26.5% in 2023, compared to 25.6% in 2021. The 118th Congress (2023-2025) includes 63 Black members, marking an increase from 61 in the previous Congress. This includes 59 in the House of Representatives and 4 in the Senate. This is real progress in numbers made in the last two years. 

The number of Black mayors in major U.S. cities has remained strong. Recent elections have seen Black leadership in cities like Chicago (Brandon Johnson) and Los Angeles (Karen Bass), reinforcing the trend of increased political influence. As of 2024, 14 of the 50 most populous cities in the United States have Black mayors. This represents a significant presence in urban leadership and marks a notable milestone in political representation and influence for Black Americans. The most notable election is the city where I am living - Chicago. The mayor has contributed a lot to this city since his rise to the position in April 2023. Brandon Johnson's tenure as mayor of Chicago is marked by a commitment to progressive policies and community-focused initiatives. In a near equitable land of Chicago, a black man/woman has successively won the mayor elections twice since 2019. It might not be a coincidence but since five years of my association with this city from India and U.S., this city is presided over by these group of people. The black mayors are also adorning the roles in five biggest U.S. cities. In a way, from the above stats and great men rising to the top in major local happening cities, the winds of equality are already blowing across the nation. We are merely putting a representation in the form of these holidays to these strong under-currents underway in our societies. 

Any movement which spurs the black men/women from within is a great movement. I went to the Juneteenth day celebrations of 2023 and it is great to see these people celebrating in great fervor. When the lower strata feel alive, happy and expressing great emotions, the society is really in great shape. These favorable vibes drive the statistics upwards as we have seen and the black individuals are not only shaping their own legacies but also paving the way for future generations to follow in their footsteps. Their stories of perseverance and excellence continue to encourage and motivate lesser privileged people around the world. There is a lot of work left to be done till real equality is achieved on the ground and in numbers. These milestone holidays should be a reason to celebrate their freedom and reduce this inequity gap, marking the real progress of these hallowed lands. We can dream for that day and then see it in real, which can be the best helping hand from the mankind.