Florida Emancipation Day message from Mayor Ward
Press release from City of Gainesville
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On this day 159 years ago, Union General Edward McCook read the Emancipation Proclamation on the steps of the Knott House in Tallahassee. Six days earlier, Major General Quincy Gilmore issued the order that officially granted freedom to all people enslaved in the states of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
That freedom was a long time coming. It arrived 870 days after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.
It arrived 89,758 days after Aug. 20, 1619, the day when history tells us the first kidnapped Africans were brought by force to the British colony of Virginia.
Today is a time to acknowledge that a single day—a single hour—is too long to wait to be free.
It is a time to remember the people whose faith, courage, and strength sustained them while being held in bondage in our state. It is a time to commemorate with reverence the date of their release from the unspeakable injustice of chattel slavery.
As your mayor, I recognize we have come very far but there is distance yet to travel. With my fellow commissioners, I am dedicated to doing the work. We will stand alongside our partners and neighbors to bring equity in all its forms to the City of Gainesville.
“Let us march on till victory is won.” –James Weldon Johnson
Happy Florida Emancipation Day!
Harvey
Anyone going to tell him that they were captured and sold by other African natives?
Facts don’t typically drive these types of discussions
However, no one was forced to buy them and transport them to the US, or continue to hold their descendants in slavery……
So what? Do you somehow think that absolves America of hundreds of years of slavery and another 100 of enforced segregation?
Thank goodness the Republicans from the north were able to free the slaves from the Democrat slave holders in the south. Many, many, many, Republicans sacrificed their lives so the enslaved would be free from the Democrats of the south. So today we should not only be thankful for Emancipation Day but also be thankful to all the northern Republicans who gave so much to do what was right and needed, which was to fight to free the enslaved people held by Democrats in the south.
Abe Lincoln would not be a Republican today and you know it. The civil right act of 1964 was supported by virtually all confessional reps from the north, republicans and democrats, and opposed only by southern democrats and a handful of republicans. In 16 years the south was voting republican. Do the math and read a history book. By the way, Florida’s Democratic Gov Leroy Collins led us gently toward the end of segregation.
OK so what is the problem? We bothagree that the Republicans fought the Democrat to free the enslaved. See Jazz-ersize we are on the same page. By the way do you know what Abe Lincoln would tell you if he were alive today? He would tell you, “Hey get me out of this box I aint dead, and do have any aspirin?”
Ole Harvey sure puts a good act. Apple don’t fall from the tree
What “distance is yet to travel?” Anyone else notice he’s concerned with bringing “equity” and not “equality” to residents?
I don’t know a single person who is a slave or has been a slave; other than the residents of Gainesville who have been bound by high utility rates and taxes to anyone other than the City Commission that is.
It’s easy to see through Harvey “Two Face” and his hypocrisy, unless you’re just blind or enjoy those chains.
Hundreds of years of slavery followed by a hundred years of enforced segregation does not end and balance out in a couple of generations. Accumulated wealth and it’s complete lack and privileged social position and business ownership reverberate for a long time
Yes 100s of years of slavery because of the Democrats that enslaved them, until the Republicans fought the Democrats to free them.
How many hours or days off did you give your slave labor? Better yet, what form of discipline did you have in place for those who you determined didn’t follow your rules? Still waiting or is it your hypocrisy only goes so far?
Sounds just like Biden.
Good, an effective and fair leader. His opponent is a self centered, unprincipled low-life who is only admired by brain dead cult followers and the party eunuchs who’s only principle is “what the fat liar said”.
Biden can’t take two steps without shuffling. His Frankenstein sneakers makes him look even more like a tard. He can not make it through one speech without lying or making up a branch of his family tree that is pretty much kindling. His speech at a all Male 99% black university was one of the most disgusting forms of modern day race baiting I have ever seen. Remember he was the one who said” if you dont vote for me you ain’t black. ” He is the one who gas a son trying to get a sweetheart deal in criminal court. If Hunter was anyone else he would fave been in prison. I never heard of DJT taking showers with his teenage daughter like Biden enjoys doing. Biden is antisemitic he proved that at by clapping like seal over a sardine at the graduation he attended. Sure he us a great man un his own dementia shrinking mind. And I will go out on a limb if you vote for Biden you ain’t anti Trump you are just stupid.
We need to make this a state holiday and give everyone the day off.
Well….when do the ‘celebrations’ begin? Can’t wait for the block party followed by ‘fireworks’.