Juneteenth Celebration, Across the Pan African Bridge

June 19^th, a day of emancipation and jubilation for Black/African People since 1865-- the abolition of chattel slavery in the United States of America (USA). According to the Web site Juneteenth.com:

General Order Number 3
One of General Granger’s first orders of business was to read to the people of Texas, General Order Number 3 which began most significantly with:

“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 rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.”

After over 400 years of the most brutal form of slavery in world history built on racism, it had come to an end in many states in the U.S. Although the British had gradually began to abolish chattel slavery in 1807, and there were still other countries yet to follow.

There were numerous ongoing celebrations throughout history, however there were many areas that had yet gone from community celebrations to city wide celebrations; in addition, Juneteenth had not been made an official federal holiday.

Nevertheless, the celebration of Juneteenth was about Black triumph and upliftment, and there were parades, festivals, meetings of Black community activists for the purpose of celebration and uniting. For instance, in 1988, in effort to bridge the celebration of Juneteenth across the “Pan African Bridge” built by President Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and several African Diasporan Pan Africanists— Nana Kweku Egyir Gyepi III, Akyenemhen of Cape Coast (nephew and successor of Kwesi Bart Plange a.k.a. Nana Kweku Egyir Gyepi II) set out to organize a trip for Paramount King Mbra V of Cape Coast, Ghana and his entourage to Hempstead, New York, which the city was holding its first Juneteenth Celebration.

According to Nana Gyepi III:
In 1988 (June 18-19), Jim Rudd (president, ‘Never We Forget Program’, Hempstead, New York), and I (vice president of The Program), organized King Osabarimba Kodwo Mbra V visit to USA … King Mbra V was highlighted, as Rudd and I promoted the Juneteenth Festival. It was a success; over a 1000 people were in attendance with large media coverage.

During the late King Mbra V’s visit, he made it a point to apologize for the Fante Nation’s role in slave trading with Europeans and encouraged Africans born in American (African Americans) to return home to their place of origin.

In June 2021, United States President Joe Biden signed the official legislation and made Juneteenth a federal holiday.

This makes Juneteenth the most recent federal holiday in the United States, and the first to be made a holiday since 1983 --Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Day.

There have been many Juneteenth celebrations throughout the years in Africa and the rest of the world. And this year, on Saturday, June 17, 2023, a Juneteenth Festival event with a parade and other activities will commence in Accra, Ghana, hosted by the African American Association of Ghana (AAAG), supported by several Ghana communities and officials.

Juneteenth celebration by many African Diasporans is a concerted effort to remember their heritage, to heal, to celebrate emancipation they fought for, and continuing the legacy of President Nkrumah-- crossing the Pan African Bridge.

Also, let it be understood, Repatriation-- is not just a return through the slave dungeon/castle doors, but a “Right to Return” through the ‘Gateway to Africa’.

#Sankofa
References:
Juneteenth World Wide Celebration. Retrieved June 14, 2023, from: https:www.juneteenth.com

The 21^st Century Afrikan Chief & A Repatriation Message to Afrika Diasporans (2022) by

Nana Kweku Egyir Gyepi III
Dr. K. Makeda Muhammad is a ‘Repatriate’-- a returnee to Africa via Ghana in 2011. Dr. Makeda’s field of study is Black Studies--she is an educator, author, Pan Africanist, community activist, and social media freedom fighter.