Tag: History

A Juneteenth learning experience in New Orleans
African American, Black History, Culture, Memoir, New Orleans, Non-fiction, Writing

A Juneteenth learning experience in New Orleans

In a country that prides itself on being the “land of the free,” this is just one of our many social differences and falsities, another one of which is, notably, right around the corner: On the 4th of July, Juneteenth is celebrated to honor the day enslaved African Americans in Texas found out they were free two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. I would learn that some black people thought the 4th of July meant freedom for all people, but this was not the case. July 4th is to celebrate when America declared independence from the British in 1776. Frederick Douglass would pen, “This Fourth is yours, not mine.”

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Hurricanes, African Slave Trade, and angry spirits??? My thoughts.
Non-fiction, Uncategorized, weather, Writing

Hurricanes, African Slave Trade, and angry spirits??? My thoughts.

There are African-American folktales about Hurricanes being the energy source of our ancestors; stolen Africans, beaten and lost at sea. Can Hurricanes be a mythical avenger that comes to right the wrongs of our ancestors? Souls of the sea, who unleash their wrath annually unto their oppressors?
Is there a connection between the Atlantic Slave Trade Routes and the path taken by hurricanes? If so, what about those who did not die while en route but made it to live out their lives as slaves? What vengeance do they get? Continue reading Hurricanes, African Slave Trade, and angry spirits??? My thoughts.

Lincoln Beach On this day in New Orleans May 25, 1939 and May 25, 2021
African American, Black History, Culture, History, Memoir, New Orleans

Lincoln Beach On this day in New Orleans May 25, 1939 and May 25, 2021

Founded in 1939, Lincoln Beach opened to the black public in 1941; the beach was one of the few places where black residents could find relief from the New Orleans summer heat.
Since the closure of Lincoln beach in 1963, there’s hope that Lincoln Beach will once again be a place for future generations to create memories, thanks to a group of cultural bearers who founded New Orleans for Lincoln Beach Foundation.

Continue reading Lincoln Beach On this day in New Orleans May 25, 1939 and May 25, 2021