Meet The Grandmother of Juneteenth

Sunday Inspiration: Every Sunday, Meet the Visionaries who are inspiring our community.

Meet Mrs. Opal Lee

While watching the signing ceremony making Juneteenth a federal holiday, some may think that the path to victory was easy. Yet we know that nothing has come easy for us in this country. Black achievement has never come without a struggle So young people not only need to hear the history of slavery and Juneteenth but how it became a federal holiday. This is the story of Opal Lee and others whose resolve and determination have made this federal holiday a reality. Opal Lee is considered to be "The Grandmother of Juneteenth." Through  her consistent effort And determination, we now have a new national holiday. 

Her story like many African-Americans is triumph over adversity. As a young child she celebrated Juneteenth with her family. However, in 1939 the day which should have been a day of joy and celebration for her family became a day of tragedy. Her family had just bought a new house  in Fort Worth, Texas but instead of enjoying this milestone, she was forced to watch as a mob of white supremacists vandalized and set fire to her family's home. Helplessly, she and her family watched their home burn to the ground as police stood by, doing nothing to stop the violence. The trauma of that day stayed with her throughout her life.   She has said that the trauma of this family experience inspired her desire to make this a holiday. She explained it this way"the fact that it happened on the 19th day of June has spurred me to make people understand that Juneteenth is not just a festival"

Her family lost everything that day but it did not stop them from rebuilding their home, She  went on to get her masters degree and worked as a teacher and counselor for many years. Following her retirement from teaching in 1976, she became an activist involved in Fort Worth community causes. She helped found the Tarrant County Black historical and genealogical Society. She organized the Fort Worth annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, Black History Month and Juneteenth celebration. During the 1980s, she started a tradition of bringing Fort Worth city leaders on an annual bus tour through economically depressed areas of Fort Worth, pointing out landmarks important to the cities' minority communities. 

For decades she campaigned to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. She promoted the idea by leading 2.5 mile walks each year in over ten cities, representing the 2.5 years it took for news of the emancipation proclamation to reach Texas. At the age of 89, she went to Washington DC to petition for making Juneteenth a federal holiday. She even promoted a petition to change.org. Finally this June 2021, at the age of 94, her dream was finally realized when Congress passed a bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday and President Biden signed it into law. She was an honored guest at the bill signing ceremony and sat in the front row receiving a standing ovation. Both President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris praised and acknowledged her many years of activism. This year for the first time she was able to celebrate Juneteenth as a national holiday and make her 2.5 miles walk as a victory walk. 

She acknowledges that this is only a symbolic step towards solving the racial divide but now young people will learn the history of slavery and the story of Juneteenth.  Holidays can bring us together as a family and a community, open up discussions, and energize us to continue to fight for justice. Manifesting black joy it's also a very important part of our survival and resilience.

Viewing African American History Through Children's Eyes

 The Civil Rights Movement was a pivotal moment in American history. Children need to learn about  this history in order to understand what is going on today. There are two exhibits across the country that invite young people to explore Civl Rights and African American history. Check them out if you are near them.

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art at 125 West Bay Road, Amherst, MA 0100  presents Picture the Dream: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement through Children's Books. This exhibition is the first of its kind to delve into the historic events, people, and themes of the civil rights movement as told through picture books. Visitors can see more than 80 artworks on view—ranging from paintings and prints to collages and drawings—by 41 artists. Picture the Dream evokes the power and relevance of an era that shaped American history and continues to reverberate today.  Exhibit is open until July 2.

“Great picture books prompt great conversations,” says Alexandra Kennedy, executive director at The Carle. “What better way for parents and teachers to introduce the difficult history of civil rights than through stories about the people who fought for equality? We believe the powerful illustrations in Picture the Dream will inspire visitors of all ages to ask hard questions and look anew at issues of equity and justice.”

Mentor Public Library’s Main Branch in Mentor Ohio is hosting a special exhibition this summer that highlights the art found within African-American children’s picture books. Telling A People’s Story: African-American Children’s Illustrated Literature includes 130 pieces of art from 33 artists from 95 books and spans 50 years of creativity. The featured artists include Caldecott medalists and honorees like John Steptoe, Leo and Diane Dillon, Javaka Steptoe, Jerry Pinkney and E.B. Lewis. Across 12 panels, the exhibit follows the history of a people from African origins to slavery and segregation through the Harlem Renaissance, Great Migration, Civil Rights Era and to modern times.

Telling A People’s Story uses paintings, pastels, drawings and mixed-media illustrations to celebrate the complex and diverse African-American experience through a lens intended for children and younger readers. The exhibition is free to enjoy from June 3 to Aug. 29 in the lobby of MPL’s Main Branch. All are invited to see it. Kids, ages 12 and younger, can win a small prize by reading the books highlighted in the exhibit. Their address is 8215 Mentor Ave, Mentor, Ohio 44060, their phone is 440-255-8811.

Here are a few of the books featured in the exhibition, Picture the Dream for parents interested in sharing the stories with their children  

Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney  

Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly, illustrated by Laura Freeman  

A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation by Barry Wittenstein, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney  

If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks written and illustrated by Faith Ringgold  

My Daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Martin Luther King III, illustrated by A.G. Ford  

Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment by Parker and Jessica Curry, illustrated by Brittany Jackson  

Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton, illustrated by Raul Colón  

I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., illustrated by Kadir Nelson  

Happy Father's Day!

 The Dad Gang Honors Black Fatherhood With 2nd ‘March of Dads' in NYC

This Father's Day Weekend, The Dad Gang appeared across New York City with hundreds of strollers to recognize and support dads of color. Their non-profit Random Acts of Dadness, teamed up with Scotch Porter to give brand new strollers to dads all across the city.

"We want to change that fact people thought we were missing in action or uninterested in our children," said Sean Williams, founder of The Dad Gang. "What we want to accomplish here is to change that narrative but also empower dads to be the best dads they can be."

On Father's Day, a stroller brigade of Dads showed up at Brooklyn's Prospect Park for  the second annual, March of Dads.  Fat Joe, Bronx rapper and Grammy winner made a special appearance at the "Dope Dad" rally held before the march.  And their effort to change hearts and minds continues. This is the best way to celebrate Father's Day.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Juneteenth!

We must learn from our history. We must teach our children our history because it is part of our history as a nation. Today is a day of celebration. It is not only a day of pride. It is also  a day for us to affirm and rededicate ourselves to action.

Kamala Harris

In 2019 I wrote,  'We can only imagine the joy, jubilation and trepidation of our  ancestors on June 19, 1865  when Major General Granger rode into Galveston, Texas and informed everyone that slavery was abolished.  We know that it left enough of an impression that the day is still commemorated today. Juneteenth has become the independence day for African Americans.

One of the first things that the newly freed slaves did was to thank God and begin looking for family.  In that spirit Juneteenth has continued to be a day of thanksgiving, prayer service, bringing together family, connecting with the past and celebrating our accomplishments."

Now after a year of protest and strife, Juneteenth, the holiday marking the end of slavery has become a federal holiday. By unanimous consent, the Senate approved legislation designating June 19, or Juneteenth, as a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the U.S.  Under the legislation, the federal holiday would be known as Juneteenth National Independence Day.   The bill then headed to the House of Representatives, where its passage was assured, then on to President Biden’s desk for signature into law. Although the holiday is symbolic, it is hoped that this will be a catalyst for addressing the systemic problems of racisms. Hopefully, children will learn the story of Juneteenth in their homes, and schools will provide a more accurate history of Black people in America.

Many thanks to Opal Lee who has lobbied for decades to make Juneteenth a national holiday. 

Google commissions artists to create doodles for special events like Juneteenth, learn more about Rachelle Baker on their site.

Today’s Doodle for Google, illustrated by Detroit-based guest artist Rachelle Baker, honors Juneteenth,  celebrating the liberation of Black enslaved people in the United States. On this day in 1865, enslaved people in Galveston, Texas received news of the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order that mandated the end of slavery in Confederate states during the American Civil War. 

The Doodle artwork for Juneteenth celebrates joy within the Black community, as well as the perseverance foundational to this journey toward liberation. With each letter, the Doodle transitions from historical Juneteenth parades to modern-day traditions such as education through storytelling, outdoor gatherings with family and friends, and commemorative festivals and parades. These scenes of celebration and community are brightened by bluebonnets—the state flower of Texas—and forget-me-nots that are layered upon backgrounds of decorative ironwork commonly found on buildings throughout the southern states. This ironwork highlights the often forgotten contributions made by enslaved Black Americans and symbolizes their strength and resilience. 

Baker further explains her inspiration, "I looked at tons of photos and art illustrating some of the first ever Juneteenth celebration, as well as celebrations, parades, and festivities from recent years. I also read about specific symbols, foods, colors, and activities that were and continue to be important in celebrating and commemorating this holiday."

While Juneteenth recognizes over a century and a half of progress, it also reminds Americans to continue to build a more equitable and unified nation. 

Happy Juneteenth!

Louisiana Has Its' First Black-Owned Birth Center

Sunday Inspiration: Every Sunday, Meet the Visionaries who are inspiring our community.

Meet Shatamia Webb 

Why does the richest country in the world also have one of the highest maternal and infant death rate? And why are African American women and children's mortality rate the highest. Today we have a new generation of healthcare workers who are trying to address this problem. 

In Louisiana, Shatamia Webb, a midwife is providing mothers with a safe haven. As she says in a KATC News interview that one of her biggest fears, when it came time for her to give birth, was arriving at the hospital and not being able to come home so she decided to have both of her children at home.

Now, she’s on a mission to help all future parents not only feel more confident when it comes to delivering their bundle of joy but informed about the options they have when it comes time to do so. As a midwife, Webb has conducted home births for the last four years. She and her staff believe, it’s all about mothers knowing “what to expect going in at every stage of the journey.” Recently she announced that in late July she will be opening the Baby Catcher Birth Center in Lafayette, which will become the first Black-owned freestanding birth center in Louisiana. 

The CDC reports that Black women are three times more likely to die during childbirth, and Webb is committed to changing this narrative with the Baby Catcher Birth Center. Staff at the center will provide insights for mothers on topics that include breastfeeding education, nutrition, labor support, and more. Plus, she says that mothers will be seen throughout their whole pregnancy along with check-ins during prenatal and postpartum periods. Benefits of the center will also include more individualized care along with a different approach when it comes to giving birth.

Webb also adds that mothers will be able to have as many people as they want with them during the time of delivery and the center will have two suites for two families. The center is located near Lafayette General Hospital just in case there are any complications.

“This is what I love,” said Webb in her interview “I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.”  For more information  or to support her project check her facebook.