Juneteenth has always been a holiday in Milwaukee, marked by a parade, people gathering to celebrate, vendors, food, and, of course, a plethora of glad-handing, baby kissing politicians. We’ve celebrated it every year (except last year when nobody celebrated anything, anywhere because of Covid) since 1971.
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Yesterday was the 50th anniversary and the parade was televised locally. I didn’t go because it’s hard for me with my disability, but I did watch the parade on TV. It was a much smaller event because people are still not coming out fully with the lifting of Covid restrictions. Hopefully, next year will be bigger.
I regret I missed Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson showing up and getting thoroughly booed.
...as more people recognized him, he was drowned out by a chorus of boos. Members of a growing crowd swore at him and said, "We don't want you here."
Last year, the Wisconsin Republican blocked legislation to make Juneteenth a national holiday. On Tuesday, he relented, saying, "While it still seems strange that having taxpayers provide federal employees paid time off is now required to celebrate the end of slavery, it is clear that there is no appetite in Congress to further discuss the matter."
Now Juneteenth is a full national holiday. The hold up, it seems, was politicians who felt that two national independence days was one too many. But it’s necessary since the first independence day wasn’t independence for everyone. It took over a hundred years and a civil war for that to start to happen.
And it’s still not full independence considering how many Jim Crow laws are still being passed, how hard it is for people of color to obtain credit, vote, get housing in certain neighborhoods, be treated with respect by police, and to find that ladder of success that white people have ready access to.
I had a neighbor in the mid 1970s who introduced me to Juneteenth Day. She was one of the organizers and I was an incredibly stupid neighbor who didn’t even know what it was. She was happy to educate me and invite me to the celebrations. They have grown every year since.
When I go I stick out and get a few stares. That’s OK and I hope that changes now with white folks coming on down to celebrate with our brothers and sisters.
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TOP COMMENTS from June 20, 2021
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I liked this comment by fromberkeleytocville as a reminder that we need to treat other commenters with more understanding and respect. From A diarist makes a mistake, and the community jumps on them. by eeff.
TOP MOJO from June 19, 2021
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TOP PHOTOS from June 19, 2021
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