VCC Magazine Summer 2020

V irginia C apitol C onnections , S ummer 2020 14 Juneteenth: A Celebration for the Commonwealth By Dr. Lauranett L. Lee Governor Northam’s office asked me to give remarks at the June 16 press conference recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday. As a Virginian and an historian, I was honored to share a few thoughts about the commemorative event. Following is a slice of the historical background surrounding Juneteenth and resources for further research. On June 19, 1865, the enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were now free. Ten weeks after General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox on April 9, U.S. Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with 2000 troops. Galveston was a pocket of resistance and hence a slow-dying Confederate enclave. General Granger informed the enslaved people of their new legal status, reading from General Order #3: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.” Some called it Freedom Day; others called it Emancipation Day. Beginning June 19, 1866 African Americans in Texas have held celebrations and since that time it has become an annual event in many localities across the country. Now known as Juneteenth, the event marks the demise of legal slavery in the United States. On June 16, 2020 Governor Northam announced he will support legislation to recognize Juneteenth as an official state holiday. He will be working with legislators to pass a law codifying Juneteenth as a permanent state holiday. In the meantime, employees in the executive branch received a paid holiday. On the eve of the civil war there were at least half a million enslaved people in Virginia. Richmond, as the capital of the Confederacy, was a major slave trading hub and many thousands of enslaved people were sold and transported west as slave owners initially sought fertile land and later escape from the encroaching Union army. As many as two hundred fifty thousand enslaved people in Texas learned they were finally free. When descendants search their genealogical roots for Virginia ancestors, Texas, is not too far afield. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission will provide a starting place. See: https://www.tsl.texas.gov. Another useful research tool for genealogical information is the Library of Virginia’s Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative. The pre-1865 primary sources illuminate American history through documentary fragments about African American life. See: https:// virginiauntold@Virginiamemory.com On June 19, 2020, the National Archives announced it had discovered the original document, General Order #3, in their collections. It will be digitized and added to the National Archives Catalog where everyone will have access to read the life-changing words that transformed American life and history. See: https://catalog.archives.gov . Lauranett L. Lee, Ph.D., is a Founding Curator for African American History in the Virginia Museum of History. In 2011, she worked with a team of colleagues at the VHS to launch a genealogical tool called Unknown No Longer: A Database of Virginia Slave Names. She has been co-chair of UR’s Presidential Commission for University History and Identity. The Power of Youth By Naquel Perry Jr. The things we’ve accomplished these past couple of months are astronomical. It shows we are more powerful than we realize. From getting the charges of George Floyd’s murder upgraded to second degree, NASCAR announcing its ban of Confederate flags, monuments, and names, we prove that as a unit, we are a force to be reckoned with. The murder of George Floyd caused a worldwide awakening. People who have been silent on issues their whole lives are now speaking up and realizing their privilege, and how they can use that to be an ally to those oppressed. As teenagers who are becoming young adults, we have a job to make sure we are doing our part to make this world a better place. Hiding behind our game consoles and sports activities will no longer help with what is happening around us. If we want this country to become a better place for our families and peers, we have to unite. The first action we can take is to vote. Now, to most, voting just means voting in a presidential election. While voting for the president helps, we should put our same focus on our local elections. Examples are for governors, mayors, school board representatives, and city council representatives. The importance of voting for your local officials is that they are responsible for most things in your daily life: policing, public safety, affordable housing, and local roads. One of the problems is that most eligible voters think their vote does not matter, or that they will not be heard. On the contrary, voting does just that: it lets your voice be heard. Luckily, as the year 2020 progresses, and more situations unfold, young people will realize how important it is to vote. I have never felt such contentment in my life as when I saw how many different races were out there protesting with us. Often, when such horrific, race-driven incidents occur, we tend to forget just how many non African American allies we have. Knowing how blacks are treated by police, I have noticed non minority people block the police from us, stand on the front lines of marches, and even post and sign petitions in support of justice. Acknowledging that you have privilege, and using it for good is the best way we can fight this crisis that has gone on for the past 400 years. The majority of past protests have been attended by black people. If you notice, we never get what we demand. This time around, with a diversity of protesters, a lot of our requests are being granted. With that being said, we need to come together as a human race, and fight for what is right. To any young person reading this, I want you to know that you matter. Your voice matters. Your life matters. I want you to know just how powerful you are. You are the future. We need you now more than ever to stand up and speak for equality, and never to let anyone silence you. It’s time for us to step up and make America truly what it was meant to be. Naquel Perry Jr. is a rising senior at Albemarle High School in Charlottesville. He spoke at a recent governor’s press conference. He plans to become a certified public accountant. • past editions online • subscribe • advertise WWW. VCCQM . ORG V V