I unexpectedly attended a Juneteenth Commemoration Web Event with Cadwalader’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion and learned that this day of liberation came as slaves in Texas were informed they were free under General Order No. 3. While listening in on this empowering Web Presentation, I was validated on a thought that recently crossed my thought.

“We [black children] have to be careful and mindful of those coming out of enslavement. That when the war ended, African Americans wanted to separate themselves from slavery as much as possible and wanted something different for their kids and grandkids so it wasn’t talked about in ways we’re talking about it today.”

Cadwalader Web Invite from LinkedIn

Dr. Fredara M. Hadley, a historian and professor at The Julliard school, was very genuine in answering some of the dualities that many of us born in the last 30 or so years face, me in particularly. Recently it occurred to me perhaps why women put up with so much toxic masculinity. Why did women tolerate the sexual manipulation and battery for so many decades? Why didn’t they do something, is a thought I’ve had for 10 years.

Then last summer it hit me. What were they supposed to do? What is a woman or widow with little education, because that was just the reality, supposed to do? Leave and care for a family of 5 on a $1 an hour waitress or secretary salary? Many landlords wouldn’t even rent to single women, let alone those of color, so what’s single black women supposed to do in those days? The answer – What they have to do. They endured. Many persevered and many suffered so their children’s children could have freedom. Freedom to be a Professor or student at world renowned school perhaps.

Dr. Hadley talked about a notion of hope that had to be there for slaves that fought for independence, activists that fought for the civil rights had to press and press and press and press. Change came but they had to have hope that we, the Black Lives Matter generation, would be better economically positioned and truly equal. Within my generation there’s so much push and pull of who’s fault this whole societal mess is. Is it the baby boomers or the millennials? No baby boomers and pre-baby boomers didn’t do EVERYTHING, but they did a lot. We need to respect that fight and ours needs to be respect under the common goal of betterment. We both want better.

This incredible multimedia event I attended included “Negro Spiritual” songs. Until today, I hadn’t even heard the term “Negro Spiritual,” but I did know the songs and some of the words to them.

Dr. Hadley shared that the songs that were sung by those enslaved were uplifting and unifying in the midst of being denied the right to read. The genre has evolved into songs reflecting black liberation, culture, and empowerment but is still so relevant today.

In all transparency, as a young, black, female, progressive, I have a lot of buried history I need to study and a lot of present day motivation I need to absorb. Being an inter-sectional victim is exhausting but still I rise (and protest). I truly believe we are the ones we’ve been waiting for and this movement is the one.

Please check out Dr. Fredara Hadley’s Playlist on Spotify and continue to stay educated and open to black stories.

If you would like to view some of the tops of discussion and learn how to have conversations, you can view the Cadwalader resources on Juneteenth here.