2023 California Juneteenth Holiday Celebration offers an amazing opportunity towards truth and reconciliation as we celebrate freedom.
In 1452, Nicolas V issued a Papal Edict known as Dum Diverses, that helped facilitated a military notion of European Colonization and expansion by Portuguese and Spanish conquistadors expeditions along the vast West African coastline, today known as the Holy Crusades.
For many, many years the centerpiece within our California State Rotunda was the late 15th Century depiction of Christopher Columbus on bended knee , convincing Spanish Queen Isabella to finance his exploration west to reach the Indian Orient bringing untold riches back to the Iberian Peninsula, that vision would come much later.
Columbus did help spark the Trans-Atlantic Trade in Human Cargo, Genocide and colonization of the Western Hemisphere.
In 1535, Hernan Cortes, expanded his sights toward the Pacific after his conquest of Mayan Civilization firmly establishing New Spain. He set a new course for the Land of Califia, today’s Baja California Sur.
Genocide of Indigenous Native Cultures along with the importation of “free” and enslaved Pan African prisoners of war, began chattel slavery along the Pacific Rim of California to make way for the Mission / Presidio system from La Paz to San Rafael.
In the 1619, off the coast of New Spain Port of Veracruz, Portuguese pirates invaded ships and stole human cargo to trade the first known enslaved Pan Africans into an English Colony at Fort Mose, Virginia.
In 1625, at the Dutch New Amsterdam Colony, New York followed suit and Slavery throughout America was financed by Wall St. Stock Markets and insured a lifetime of uncompensated productive utility by insurance companies, a futures commodity market of my ship coming in.
With the 1776 Declaration of Independence and US Constitution people of Pan African Descent were considered now to be 3/5ths of a human being for their property owners’ electoral power and subjected to harsh and inhumane treatment.
For generations without end enslaved humans were forced to perform arduous labor, deprived of human consideration, and were subjected to countless acts of violence.
At its height, four million+ human beings were enslaved as the United States of America profited off their labor and lifetime utility while suffering untold inflicted horrors.
At its height, over four million+ human beings were enslaved and afflicted throughout the United States of America who profited off enslaved labor via a lifetime of productive utility while suffering.
America’s Peculiar Institution was challenged during Mexican American War of1846 as the Bear Flag Revolt helped facilitate “Manifest Destiny” and the California Gold Rush expedited California Statehood with the 1850 Compromise that planted residual seeds for the US Civil War.
The 1860 US Presidential Election of Abraham Lincoln, South Carolina led the way for succession from the Union and creation of a foreign power known as Confederate States of America.
In April 1861, at Ft. Sumpter Confederate forces began a very bloody protracted war that centered upon the legality of slavery.
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed an Executive War Order known as the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring “that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious states are, and henceforward shall be free, with the added clause to arm suitable free and enslaved Pan Africans as US Colored Troops to help preserve the Union and end chattel slavery.”
The US Civil War raged on, free and enslaved Pan Africans joined the war. Over 1,000,000 Confederate, Union soldiers and civilians are estimated to die on battlefields and make shift hospital from rampant disease.
In April 1865, General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in Virgina, however Confederate President Jefferson Davis vowed to fight on and did until his capture and imprisonment.
In June 1865, from the Port of New Orleans General Sheridan ordered General Granger to Galveston Island, Texas to finally seal the Rio Grand Valley boarder with Mexico, confiscate valuable cotton commodities and free all those enslaved in the vast Texas frontier.
Headquartered at Galveston Island, Texas, General Granger amassed a huge Union Army and orchestrated a 7 week campaign that included several United States Colored Troops Regiments.
The bloody US Civil War did not reach the western frontier for two years after President Lincoln’s original Presidential Proclamation in 1863.
President Lincoln was did not live to see the unification of America or the freedom of enslaved Pan Africans held in bondage in the Confederacy
His signature on the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution was later ratified in December 1865.
June 19, 1865, is now enshrined as a US Federal Holiday “Juneteenth” has new life to celebrate Freedom For All and to reflect annually upon the beginning, middle and ending of “American Peculiar Institution” with top eye on addressing any and all residual impacts caused by the City of Sacramento since 1849.
Here within the City of Sacramento, first chartered City in 1849 as the birth of the Great State of California, became the State Capitol in 1854. yet today, Chattel Slavery of Pan Africans throughout the Sacramento Valley remains an “open secret.”
Early California Pioneers of Pan African Descent (1840-1875) during the California Gold Rush Era is a vast untapped source of pride for people who answered to “previous condition of servitude” and ongoing systemic institutional racism.
The California State Capitol, near my birth home, is the heart of our Sacramento Capitol Region, is the seat of authority for the 5th largest global economy on earth.
People of Pan African ancestry and global extended family remain vital to this City as we serve in various capacities as business owners, inventors, healthcare professionals, and educators from the establishment of the City of Sacramento in 1849 till today..
Because of this, it is with great importance that the City honors the historic contributions of early California Pan African Pioneers, Black Sacramentans and all Californians connecting past, present, and future by celebrating the bond of Freedom, establishing Juneteenth as a legal City holiday.
Therefore, I as Mayor of Sacramento, Sacramento City Council assigned, instruct the City Manager and City Attorney with assistance of all necessary City Personnel to report on the historical importance and cultural impact of Juneteenth, and options for establishing Juneteenth as a paid legal holiday throughout in the City of Sacramento.