Earlier this week, I had a difficult decision to make. I was running myself ragged planning the 3rd annual Juneteenth in Newport in Washington Square for next weekend, and it was beating me down. I know some of you know the feeling! A wise advisor and friend sat me down and said, “Charles, you have to slow down and focus on your health.” My doctors and wife have been saying the same thing for a while. These were the voices that I needed to listen to, but in my desire to deliver a fun, family-friendly, free educational celebration, I was ignoring their voices. Finally, I agreed they were right, and I thanked my friend. Honestly, I felt some relief immediately.
Instead of hosting a big, multi-cultural celebration on Newport’s colonial parade grounds this year, the RISHM team is focused on celebrating Juneteenth week in Newport with a free, open-to-the-public talk at the Newport Public Library, on Tuesday, June 17th, starting at 6 pm. We are grateful to the Library staff for the opportunity! We have so much great information to share, old facts and new finds. We plan to cover the African American and Indigenous history in Rhode Island across 300 years, under one hour. With every fact, person or event we will speak about, we will aim to share the lesser-known stories of the impact – and acts of resistance and freedom – among our shared ancestors-of-color.
Inclusivity is at the heart of this upcoming talk, and it’s certainly the reason for this newest federal holiday, which is fondly referred to by many as America’s Second Independence Day.
Juneteenth in the South vs. Juneteenth in the North
Many know that Juneteenth started in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Grange marched into Galveston to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation that was declared by President Abraham Lincoln two-and-a-half years earlier. The earliest-known Juneteenth celebrations date back to 1866 in Texas, mostly attended by churchgoing, free African Americans. These southern celebrations have since evolved into large regional events and celebrations that include religious services, historical reenactments, the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, activism, and eating lots of “red” foods. Red-colored foods and beverages hold symbolic importance for this holiday, representing the sacrifices and blood shed by enslaved people.
Juneteenth was slower to take hold in the North. It began to gain prominence as Southern Black people migrated from the South in the 20th century, bringing their traditions and customs with them. In the North, there is more of an emphasis on educating the broader community on African American history and culture. In Newport, it was important to us to include our Native American community too, in our celebrations, since their stories of resistance and their fragility of freedom are not much different than ours.
How the Revolutionary War relates to this Civil War holiday
A lot of people ask me why we place such an emphasis on colonial-era regiments and Native Americans when we celebrate Juneteenth in Newport. My response is that these acts of incredible bravery by African Americans and Indigenous people during this time are powerful and significant because they are the first-ever brave acts that these courageous (and conscripted) individuals – who who had nothing but their lives to offer – did for our country, whether they volunteered or were mandated to serve. Without the bravery and sacrifice of African American and Indigenous soldiers in the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, the Patriot cause would likely not have won at Yorktown. Without winning the Revolutionary War, there would have never been a Civil War over the issue of Emancipation. We would all have been subjects of the Crown.
In Tuesday’s talk, we will attempt to tie all this together and celebrate all these people and the power of multi-cultural understanding. We hope you will join us! To register for this free event, go here. Space is limited, and light refreshments will be served.
Charles L. Roberts is Executive Director and Founder of Rhode Island Slave History Medallions, www.rishm.org. He can be reached at charles@rishm.org.
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