Chad Freeman: Why Juneteenth is the most patriotic American holiday
By Chad Freeman
On Nov. 18, 1848, Presley Harper, a wealthy plantation owner from Hancock County, Ga., wrote his will with the help of his close friends and relatives. His will looked like a typical will. The document detailed how Presley’s property would be divided among his children and how his belongings would be disseminated.
“It is my will and desire that all my property be kept together by my executors for the common benefit of all my children,” Presley wrote. He even detailed his desire for his children to receive a higher education. Item seven of the will states: “It is my will and desire that my executors will give all my children as good an education as my estate will warrant having regard to their future prospects in life and that the expenses be paid for out of the common stock.”
Harper passed away five years later, in 1853. The executors of his will followed his instructions to the best of their ability. However, prior to the execution of the will, Harper’s property had to be appraised.
On Harper’s document of inventory and appraisement, a sinister reality is revealed. The inventory and appraisement document listed farm animals, tools, wardrobes, furniture, cutlery — and enslaved Black people. Harper owned close to 200 slaves.
One of those enslaved people was my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, Anderson Harper, who was listed as being worth $1,000. Another was my 4x great-grandfather, Wilson Harper (the son of Anderson Harper), who was listed as being worth $700. My ancestors were not viewed as human beings. They were considered property. No different than the mules, wheelbarrows, and shovels that were also listed in the document.
I cannot begin to imagine what my ancestors went through on that plantation in central Georgia, but I am filled with pride to know that not even the inhumanity of slavery could break the spirit of my forefathers.
In 1867, after the conclusion of the Civil War, both of my grandfathers, Wilson and Anderson Harper, signed the Reconstruction Oath, registering themselves to vote and pledging allegiance to the Union.
It is for this reason that I look to Juneteenth as the true Independence Day. My ancestors were fighting for their freedom long after 1776. June 19, 1865, commemorates the day that ALL natural born U.S. citizens were free (including my grandfathers). It is for this reason that I celebrate Juneteenth and view the holiday as the most patriotic of all American holidays.
Juneteenth holds special value to African-Americans for obvious reasons, and African-Americans should be centered in Juneteenth celebrations and dialogues. However, Juneteenth should be celebrated by all Americans as it is the date that commemorates when our country became whole.
Juneteenth should be revered the same way July 4 th is revered all over our country. Recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday is a step in the right direction, but there is also a need to contextualize the importance of this holiday.
What would our nation look like today if we remained a nation divided? What would our nation be today if the Confederacy defeated the Union? What if those 180,000 Black men had not joined the Union to fight for their freedom and our country?
These are some of the questions we need to ask ourselves and our communities. Maybe then will Juneteenth start to be recognized as a patriotic holiday that celebrates our nation and Black Americans’ contributions to the development and greatness of our country.
Chad Freeman works in the City of Birmingham’s Division of Social Justice and Racial Equity.
