Why Black People Should Quit Celebrating July 4th

July 4th, 1776 marks the day that the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England. This was a victory to what would later become known as the United States of America. They had completed their treasonous goal of being absolved from all allegiance to the British crown.

Readers, that has absolutely nothing positive to do with the Black experience in America. For instance, while Americans were celebrating their full colonization of a land, Africans were, by law of this newfound “free” colony, the property of the highest bidder and less than human. American history and education has a brilliant way of skimming over their sins against humanity; but let’s talk about some of the reasons why Black people in America should deny the celebration of Independence Day on July 4th. Keep in mind that the first slaves came to North America in 1619; that’s 157 years before “independence day.”

Take the Revolutionary War; the British recruited slaves with the promise of freedom for fighting with them. Naturally, slaves ran to the opportunity to not only fight against their oppressors, but to earn their freedom. By the end of the war the British had abandoned their Black soldiers along with their promise of freedom. However, to be fair, some of the slaves made it to New York-a British stronghold at the time-and had their freedom negotiated by the last British commander.

The US Constitution was drafted in 1787, here are some notable and historical events that have taken place since then:

• 1790: First US census. Racial categories introduce European, Indian and African races. The first census was created to count adult, white males who could vote, hold office, own property, pay taxes and become military recruits.
• Constitutional passage establishing the first census stated that Slaves were counted as 3/5th of a person in determining the population size of each state.
• 1973: The Fugitive Slave Law passed, which provided for the capture and return of runaway slaves who crossed state lines or escaped into federal territory.
• 1801: Congress extended Virginia and Maryland slavery laws to the District of Columbia, establishing a federally sanctioned slave code.
• 1807: Congress banned the importation of slaves into the U.S., although smuggling continued in some parts of the South. Once the transatlantic slave trade was prohibited, domestic slave trading throughout the South increased.
• 1836: Texas won independence from Mexico and legalized slavery.
• 1850: The new Fugitive Slave Act made the federal government responsible for apprehending fugitive slaves in the North, and sending them back to the South.
• 1857: The Dred Scott decision was handed down, which denied citizenship to free and enslaved blacks.
• 1863: President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which immediately affected slaves living in “Union states.”
• 1896: Plessy v. Ferguson decision, the Supreme Court ruled that segregated, or “separate but equal,” public facilities were legal.
• 1924: Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act codified the “one-drop rule” as the standard racial classification for people of mixed ancestry. A person with even “one drop” of non-white ancestry was classified as “colored” or non-white.

The list above does not do justice to the atrocities that America has bestowed upon all people who inhabited the lands that were non-white. The list does not even mention the struggle to integrate schools; Japanese internment camps; the confiscation of Native land that was distributed to whites; Operation Wetback; the war on drugs; mass incarceration; and countless others crimes against humanity and the mistreatment of everything that is not considered white in America.

Black people have, since first arriving on American shores, received by far the worst treatment and has come up in the worst conditions in America. Yet Blacks are constantly expected to show their loyalty to America; to prove their patriotism to a country that has never had their best interests or even meant to include them in general society. One can just refer to past and recent history to acknowledge this fact.

Blacks are taught from grade school age to worship America and its traditions. Rituals such as reciting the pledge of allegiance, singing the national anthem, and learning other songs like “Yankee Doodle” and “America the Beautiful” while never learning about the mistreatment of non-whites throughout history is a well designed method to keep all people in America complicit in their American idolatry while depriving non-white citizens of their culture and ancestral history.

Some, including many Black folks, may argue that their elders and relatives fought and maybe even died for American “freedom”. Some will announce how proud they are to be an American and how they would not want to be in some 3rd world country living in a hut. Some may condescendingly claim that everyone can make it in America if they just work hard enough. These are all messages that have been placed in the psyche of American citizens by way of propaganda, miseducation, American amnesia, and many other forms of white supremacy.

It is very easy to be deceived because one may see Black people being in positions of power within the same oppressive system that is being discussed. Seeing Black faces on television, making movies, playing sports; in the media on different outlets making money sometimes in the millions tend to serve as a testament to a post-racial society. What is ignored, however, is a grossly over-represented prison population in terms of Black people being incarcerated. What is glossed over is the conditions of schools in Black populated areas. Thanks to cameras on every mobile device the public witnesses murder after murder perpetrated by law enforcement against Black bodies with little and most times no consequence. Talking about an educational system that teaches from a white perspective, glamorizing and glorifying white people, making white the norm and the mainstream way to success is not a conversation had in everyday America.

It is a fascinating thing how a people are so loyal and in love with a country and culture that does not love them back; with a culture that continues to show that it actually hates them. Black people, be encouraged to stay home. Do not spend your money on fireworks and patriotic paraphernalia. Black folks independence is still being fought for. Do not be blinded by shiny things in the media or your favorite show or TV personality telling you how great America. Land of the free and home of the brave, they say. Remember your history here. Learn your ancestral history. Read your African scholars reports on who you are. Take pride in your Blackness first…and quit celebrating July 4th!

-Umoja N. Black