Opinion

A Different perspective

Juneteenth will always be an important day for African Americans in history ,and we will never allow it to escape our memories. Slavery was one of the worst things in America’s history. There were so many slaves in this country that they had become too costly for their owners. Slavery  was legal until President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves in 1865 on Juneteenth

African Americans built this country with their bare hands. From the day the White man decided to enslave us, we have been at work. They had us doing any and everything. They made us feel as though we were animals ,and we eventually gave in to them. Due to a lack of education, it was even harder for slaves to overcome their difficult situations. The White man would keep anything that would feed our minds as far away as possible.

Being free meant everything to those who were enslaved. They had dreamed about freedom their whole lives. When the sun beat them down, they continued worked in the fields.They always thought about becoming free men and women. They had faith in God and they believed that one day their freedom would come.

Beatings, hangings and disrespect were all part of slavery. Black woman were used for cleaning, cooking and other household necessities. The men were primarily field workers ,picking cotton or whatever crop their owner was growing. They were treated as though they were animals ,and their spirits were taken away from them. Slave owners denied them an education; so they would not have any knowledge. They would only know what their owners had wanted them to know.

Many African Americans have the blood of the White man flowing through their veins. They raped our women and left them to take care of their seed. Some White men fell in love with these women, despite the the consequences. Even I have the blood of the White man running through my body. I wonder what my ancestors went through to make it through those horrid times?

African American children usually stayed inside helping the women until they were old enough to work in the fields. Many of them were assigned to White children as their personal slaves. Slave owners would even separate children from their parents by selling them to another slave owner.

Juneteenth is more than a historical moment, it is a bright day in American history. The day of freedom will forever ring bells in our hearts. 

 

Thomas J. Walker is a sophomore majoring in mass communication from Marrero.