Westerly Anti-Racism coalition newsletter for 6.19.

2022

A History of Juneteenth

Freedom Day, Liberation Day and Emancipation Day are all names for Juneteenth - the story of how 250,000
enslaved people in Galveston were notified by Major General Gordon Granger and the 1,800 Union soldiers
accompanying him on June 19, 1865, that those enslaved in Texas were ordered “free” - two and a half years
after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 formally ended slavery and five months after Congress ratified the
13th Amendment abolishing slavery.

To add more injury and injustice, the Confederate mayor of Galveston openly ignored Granger’s orders. It was
left to plantation owners to decide when and how to announce the news to enslaved men and women; most
waited until harvesting was complete to make a profit. Those freed Black men and women who acted on the
news did so at their peril. Many continued to be terrorized, shot, and hanged for “offenses” like expecting fair
treatment or requesting the same basic rights as whites.

This was hardly a time for a celebration, which makes the story of Juneteenth all the more remarkable. Defying
confusion and delay, terror and violence, the newly “freed” now had a date to rally around. In one of the most
inspiring grassroots efforts of the post-Civil War period, they transformed June 19 from a day of unheeded
military orders into their own annual “Juneteenth”, beginning one year later in 1866. Formerly enslaved people
immediately sought to reunify families, establish schools, run for political office, push needed legislation and
even sue slaveholders for compensation. Given the 200+ years of enslavement, such changes were nothing short
of amazing. Not even a generation out of slavery, African Americans were inspired and empowered to
transform their lives and the country.

Juneteenth, a blending of the words June and nineteenth, is the oldest celebration of African American
emancipation in the U.S. It is a celebration of the arrival of freedom across the U.S. and honors the past
suffering of Black people. But while we celebrate freedom, there is a deep awareness that freedom for Black
people continues to be incomplete - their role in building and making our country prosperous is mostly
ignored, as is their ongoing struggle in a country so invested in forgetting.

Juneteenth is a time to reflect on how far we have traveled and to work together to embrace the power of
awareness, fairness, and the possibility to become stronger and better. Juneteenth is a call for white Americans
to open up conversations and create opportunities for pointed discussions on how to fix the generational
deprivation Black people have suffered as a result of both slavery and generations of exclusion from equal
opportunities for social and economic mobility. We are better when we acknowledge our past. To know the
history of Juneteenth helps ensure we achieve a more just future and make a better version of ourselves as a
nation. But today we celebrate.
⥇

NOTE: Juneteenth is a great day to find a good book and educate yourself. Classics include Carter G.
Woodson’s The Mis-Education of the Negro, or writings from Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells,
and James Baldwin. If you prefer a more contemporary book, read, Dante Steward's Shoutin' in the Fire, Hanif
Abdurraqib's A Little Devil in America, Isabel Wilkerson's The Warmth of Other Suns or Caste, or books from
Ibram Kendi, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Colson Whitehead, and Heather McGhee. As Fredrick Douglass, social
reformer, abolitionist, writer, and statesman, wrote in 1835:

"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."

June is Pride Month

We plan to celebrate Pride Month on Sunday, 26 June, with speakers and music from members of our ARC
community and extended family. If you or someone you know would like to speak or share a story, please
contact us ASAP at westerlyarc@gmail.com or see Madeleine at our Sunday protest.

LAST Sunday’s Protest

On Sunday, June 12, we welcomed Anita Mortley and Alicia Vignali Henry to celebrate Caribbean Heritage
month. Alicia shared stories of her Carribean family and her involvement in the Caribbean Community and
Common Market (CARICOM). CARICOM is a group of 20 developing countries in the Caribbean that have
come together to form an economic and political community which work together to shape policies for the region
and encourage economic growth and trade. She emphasized the similarities between Rhode Island and
CARICOM, especially the Blue Economy. The Blue Economy mission is sustainable use of ocean resources for
economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem. Rhode
Island and the Caribbean people rely on each other in this effort to preserve the planet for future generations.
Alicia also shared the history of President Bush’s 2006 declaration of June as Caribbean Heritage month, with
every President since continuing to do so. Thank you, Alicia, for such an interesting and enlightening
presentation.

Anita Mortley is the author of the book “The Magic of Kindness” which she brought, along with her two
young sons, to read to us. This beautiful story, illustrated by Aisha Vu, teaches young and old the value of
kindness. The story is based on her personal experience as a teacher. Her students were sometimes unkind to
one another. In the story, children discover creative ways of showing kindness through a kindness bracelet.
Anita’s book is Amazon’s 2021 Best Seller in the Parenting & Relationships Short Reads category and can be
found at or ordered from Savoy or other local bookstores. It is also available on Amazon.com.
This Sunday’s Protest
Come one! Come all! You will not want to miss our 2nd Annual Juneteenth celebration THIS SUNDAY, 19
June 2022, from 11:00am-1:00pm, on the downtown Westerly Post Office steps. Our special guest speaker will
be Kevin Booker, educator, motivational speaker, adjunct professor at Asnuntuck Community College, and
volunteer at New London elementary, middle and high schools. He is a guest lecturer, member of the
Anti-Defamation League, and board member of the Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication.
Additionally, he is the founder of Booker Empowerment LLC, which teaches public speaking and offers
diversity and leadership workshops.

We will have music by Geoff Kaufman and Frank Pendola, along with story tellers, dramatic readings, the youth
dance troupe “Bloom into Greatness”, student art work, and Juneteenth refreshments. Bring your family and
friends!

Share Your THoughts

We encourage our readers and friends to share perspectives, opinions, questions, ideas, etc., with our ARC
community. We will publish your letters in our newsletter. Email us at westerlyarc@gmail.com. Thank you.

Educate, Embrace and empower

Below are upcoming Town Council and School Committee meetings:

Tuesday, 21 June Town Council Regular Meeting (5:30pm)

Wednesday, 6 July School Committee Meeting (5:00pm)
Monday, 11 July Town Council Workshop Meeting (5:30pm)
Monday, 25 July Town Council Regular Meeting (5:30pm)

All meetings are held in Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, Westerly Town Hall, 45 Broad Street.
ARC is committed to attending these meetings regularly, and we need more volunteers to attend with us!
Here is the link to meeting schedules and agendas. https://clerkshq.com/westerly-ri

HELPING OUR COMMUNITY

ARC member Amanda Dunn continues to collect toiletries, personal care items, and non-perishable food to
distribute to our community. Please bring your donations to Amanda at our Sunday rallies. Your kindness and
generosity are greatly appreciated.
Arc calendar of events

Date presenter
19 June 2022 2nd Annual Juneteenth Celebration, 11-1 pm, Westerly Post Office, Westerly, RI

26 June 2022 Celebrating Pride Month/TBD

Peace,
Westerly arc