Freedom Day

"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 personal rights and rights of property, between former masters and slaves and the connection heretofore existing between them, becomes that between employer and hired labor." -General Orders No. 3

On June 19th, 1865, General Gordon Granger read out General Orders No. 3, informing everyone in Galveston, Texas that slavery had been abolished. The enslaved population of Texas was the last to learn of President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all those in bondage in the states in rebellion on January 1, 1863. 

Photo: Juneteenth Statue in Galveston, Galveston County Daily News

June 19th, or "Juneteenth," has become a day of celebration in the African American community. It is also known as Freedom Day. In 1865, the newly freed men and women celebrated spontaneously but in 1866, they organized an event, a holiday, and it has continued to this day.

Photo: Great Bend Tribune

But few outside the African American population are aware of what Juneteenth is. When Apple added Juneteenth to its US holidays calendar, along with Muslim and Hindu holidays, some people were confused or upset that Apple was including these "non-US holidays." Their anger is a perfect example of why Juneteenth needs to be celebrated every year. 

Screenshot of a question in the Apple forum. 

This Juneteenth is special because Congress is holding hearings today to consider reparations for African Americans. While both the House and the Senate have formally apologized for the atrocities of slavery, the country has not been able to move on. Current tensions in this country stem from racial tensions that arose from the institution of slavery. 

Photo: C-SPAN screen capture

Video: Committed, an a cappella group from Oakwood University sings "Lift Every Voice," also known as the Black National Anthem.

"The eyes of the world are upon you."

June 6, 1944, is a famous date, but it does not live in infamy, like December 7, 1941. It is a date that is famous for one of the greatest amphibious and land invasions in history: D-Day, the Allied invasion of Nazi-held Normandy. 

Photo: Shuttershock
When the US entered the war, an invasion of France from Britain was discussed but the European allies were wary. World War I had only ended 24 years prior and the horrors from that war and the difficulty the Allied forces had attacking the Germans was still fresh in their minds. So, Operation Overlord, an invasion of France, was pushed back for three years. 

Ultimately, this delay was beneficial to the Allies. In the years leading up to the invasion, the Allied forces engaged in battles that taught them lessons which would shape the famous invasion. In August 1942, Allied forces tested Hitler's Atlantic Wall in the battle of Anzio. This was a series of fortifications along the Atlantic coast that Hitler had French labor construct between 1942 and 1944. This attack was meant to boost morale, gather intelligence and damage the German defenses. It was a failure, since there was not enough air support and once the beaches had been taken, forces did not move fast enough to overtake the defenses. 

In Italy in early 1944, the Allied forces mounted an invasion of Anzio, which was an amphibious invasion that required the element of surprise and a follow-up push inland. The attack was a complete surprise but the follow-up did not materialize and resulted in heavy fighting for weeks with the Allied forces trapped on the beach. 

Finally, it was time to invade Nazi Europe and attempt to liberate the continent. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was in charge of Operation Overlord. There were two locations where the Allied forces could attack: the beaches of Normandy or Pas de Calais, which is the closest point on the continent to the British Isles. Calais made the most sense so Hitler heavily fortified it in preparation of an invasion. For this reason, and the fact that Normandy provided the Allies with more options of pushing further inland, Normandy was selected as the invasion site. 

Photo: Library of Congress, US Army photo 

The invasion was a magnificent undertaking that included air support, artillery support and the determination of the soldiers landing on the beaches to keep going. They knew that success at Normandy would help to bring about the end of the war and liberate those living under Nazi rule and save the people who were targeted by the Nazis, like the Jewish population. 

While it was a success, it also resulted in high casualties. Over 4,000 Allied forces died during D-Day and 10,000 were wounded. Additionally, nearly 20,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed during the invasion. War is not a pretty thing and victory came at a heavy price. 

Today, we remember D-Day as a romantic success. The Allied forces faced great challenges but pushed onward and succeeded so that they could put an end to the Nazis. The men who fought were brave and heroic but let's not romanticize war. What those men saw on those beaches was horrifying. They watched their friends get slaughtered yet they survived and had to keep fighting. Let's remember the day but let us also take the time to consider all that was lost on that day and all the days before it under Hitler's regime. 

Photo: National World War II Museum

As General Eisenhower said in his D-Day message: 

"You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. 

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely. 

...I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!"

#55Strong

Schools in West Virginia have been closed for over a week now in a historic statewide walkout by teachers and service personnel, and with the dysfunction we are seeing in the state capitol, it is unknown when this will be resolved. 

Photo: West Virginia Board of Education

West Virginia has a very strong history of workers standing up for their rights. In the early 20th century, the coal industry in the Mountain State expanded. Coal mines were often owned by companies that weren't even in the state, mine safety was minimal and deaths were common in this unregulated industry. The miners and their families were paid in company scrip, not even real money, which could only be used at the company store. These families lived in company homes and very quickly went into debt to the companies so it was next to impossible for them to get out. 

Photo: West Virginia And Regional History Center

In 1912, unionized miners in Kanawha County went on strike, demanding better working conditions, better pay and to halt the practice of forcing the miners to purchase from the company store. These demands were not met and the companies brought in armed agents. The strike lasted for a year and resulted in several deaths but eventually, a compromise was made and the miners went back to work. 

Then, in 1920, miners in Mingo County joined the United Mine Workers of America and the mining companies retaliated by firing the unionized workers. This resulted in the Battle of Matewan and the Battle of Blair Mountain, which was one of the largest armed uprisings since the Civil War. 

Photo: West Virginia PBS

In March of 1990, teachers joined in the labor uprising history of West Virginia. Teachers from 47 counties went on strike for 11 days because the governor and state legislature could not agree on pay raises for teachers. They were successful and the salaries of teachers were increased, raising them from 49th in the nation to 34th. Today, many of the teachers who were on strike in 1990 are out in force again, fighting for better pay along with a fix to their health insurance program. 

Photo: NBC News

But this strike is different from the 1990 one. While this is the second statewide teacher strike, every single public school in every county in the state is closed. That's 55 counties with over 20,000 teachers and service personnel standing on the picket lines. Additionally, the issues these public employees are standing up for do not just affect them but all public employees, including state troopers and police. Healthcare costs under the Public Employee Insurance Agency (PEIA) have skyrocketed while pay has stagnated. 

Photo: NPR

Last Tuesday, the governor negotiated a compromise with union leaders to raise teacher pay by 5% and to create a task force to figure out how to fix PEIA, a deal the House passed 98-1, but the state Senate did not agree with the governor and delayed voting on the bill to raise the pay. Eventually, the Senate submitted an amendment that made the raise only 4%, but when they sent it over to the House, which would not accept the reduction, the Senate sent over the wrong bill. (http://www.wvva.com/story/37640923/2018/03/Saturday/senators-backtrack-after-accidentally-vote-on-wrong-bill-giving-teachers-5-percent-pay-raise)

While the Legislature tries to resolve these issues, the strike will continue. Keep in mind, one party controls all three branches of government, and they cannot come to an agreement which would allow teachers and over 200,000 students to go back to their classrooms. Not only can the three branches not agree, but they have demonstrated that they do not know how to proofread, listen to what the entire state wants and they have insulted teachers, many of whom work two jobs or are on food stamps just to support themselves and their families. 

Photo: West Virginia PBS

As the daughter of a West Virginia school teacher and a student who grew up attending West Virginia public schools, I know that these teachers deserve far more than they are even asking for. They spend countless hours outside of their classrooms working on lesson plans, supporting their students and trying to ensure their students have the best chance at a future. They spend their own money on classroom supplies. Even during this strike they have continued to work by grading papers, helping students prepare for upcoming AP exams and packing lunches for students who rely on the schools for meals. These are the most selfless people you will ever meet and all they are asking for is better pay and a fix to their health insurance. Is that really too much to ask? They deserve respect! 

Original art by Hilary Grabowska

These teachers have spent years educating students for the future, teaching them how to write, how to think critically and all about standing up for their rights. The most formidable strike is a strike by an educated workforce that knows their rights and their state's labor history, and that's who has been standing on the state capitol steps for the last week. 

Photo: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 

Chaco Culture NHP: 110 Years Young

On March 11, 1907, President Teddy Roosevelt used the Antiquities Act to create Chaco Canyon National Monument. 

Photo: George Washington University

After the Ancestral Puebloans left Chaco Canyon in the 1200s, their monumental buildings stood empty until Europeans arrived in the 1800s. By 1896, the first excavation of Pueblo Bonito began and the incredible artifacts were systematically removed and sent to museums back East. One man who was a part of the expedition remained in the canyon after the excavation was completed. 

Photo: Hilary Grabowska, Pueblo Bonito

Richard Wetherill remained in Chaco Canyon to homestead. He built a house and a trading post beside Pueblo Bonito and sold artifacts that he found in the Great Houses. His actions alarmed people and prompted Congressman John Lacey to travel to the Southwest to research and write a report about the antiquities and how many of the amazing artifacts were disappearing. From his experiences, he introduced legislation that would allow the President to create National Monuments from federal land in order to protect culturally significant areas. 

Photo: PBS, Richard Wetherill

The Antiquities Act became law in 1906 and a year later, was used to establish Chaco Canyon National Monument. When the park was created, Wetherill gave up much of his homestead, but he continued to live beside Pueblo Bonito, until he was shot and killed in 1910. Today, he is buried in a historic cemetery that is near his old home and trading post. But, the stories that the park preserves and tells are those of the original inhabitants, the Ancestral Puebloans who built the largest buildings in what would become the US until the mid 1800s, and they didn't even have the wheel. 

Photo: Hilary Grabowska

Love is Love is Love

President Obama made history when he established Stonewall National Monument, the first National Park unit commemorating the history of the struggle for equal rights in the LGBTQ community; Stonewall National Monument. His announcement came a week after the deadliest mass shooting in American history in which a single gunman killed 49 people at a gay night club in Orlando Florida.

Photo: charlotteobserver.com

On June 28, 1969, police attempted to raid the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. At that time, it was illegal to serve alcohol to homosexuals. The Inn was owned by the Mafia, who had purchased it and turned it into the night club and would often bribe the police to prevent raids.

Photo: latimes.com

The club had protocols for when it was thought that the police would be coming, but that night, the Inn was not forewarned.  Some patrons attempted to flee out the windows but the police barred them from leaving. The police attempted to complete their raid using standard policy: line all patrons up and have them present identification to leave the club, while anyone dressed as a woman was escorted into the bathroom by female police officers where their sex would be verified. However, those dressed as women refused to be subjected to sex verification and the male patrons refused to present their IDs. Some of the patrons were released but instead of dispersing, they gathered outside the club, which attracted an ever larger crowd.

A woman in handcuffs was escorted to a police vehicle but she repeatedly attempted to escape and complained about her restraints until an officer hit her on the head with a baton and dragged her to the vehicle. At this point, the crowd became a mob and fought against the police. The riots that broke out were not planned. Instead, it was all of the pent up frustration of oppressed people that finally reached the breaking point and the LGBT community fought for itself.

After 45 minutes of violence, the Tactical Police Force showed up to rescue the officers already on the scene. Both the police and the rioters were angry: the rioters because of constant humiliation and being forced to hide their true selves and the police because they had been resisted. As the tactical police attempted to disperse the crowd, the mob retaliated with song and dance, taunting the police. By 4:00am, the streets were cleared; 13 people had been arrested and many were taken to the hospital for injuries.

During the day of June 28th, pro-gay slogans were painted on the Stonewall Inn. That night, the Stonewall was open again and thousands of people showed up, clogging the streets. The police showed up and again the crowd became a mob, taunting the police with kick lines and leading them on chases down Christopher Street until the Tactical Force arrived again.

The riots at the Stonewall Inn and on Christopher Street marked a shift in the movement to gain equal rights for the LGBT community. Newspapers were created that were called Come Out! and Gay Power, groups were established with the word gay in their title for the first time. The Stonewall Riots did not mean that police raids ended or that things changed quickly, but the riots did mark the major shift to more public activism in the fight for LGBT rights.

Photo: cbsnews.com

On the anniversary of the riots, June 28, 1970, the first gay pride parades took place, on Christopher Street in New York, and in Los Angeles and Chicago. In the subsequent years, pride parades quickly spread to more cities and gay rights groups were formed in every major city. Eventually, June was named as Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall Riots.

Photo: villagevoice.com

Today, gay marriage is the law of the land, employers cannot discriminate based on sexual orientation and it is not illegal to serve alcohol to homosexuals. The US has made great strides since 1969 but as the mass shooting in Orlando shows,  the struggle for civil rights is never-ending, and love is the best way to combat hatred, discrimination and fear. 

Easter Rising

100 years ago today, violence in Dublin ended. For six days, a handful of men had been desperately fighting British troops in hopes of freeing Ireland from British rule. This was the largest uprising in Ireland in more than a century and was the beginning of a revolution. 

Photo: Hilary Grabowska

The Catholic nation was ruled by a Parliament made up exclusively of Protestants, who were often bribed to pass laws that benefited England and not the Irish Catholics. Displeasure with this lack of representation led to the Irish Home Rule movement. At first, the Irish tried to achieve home rule through legislation, but their proposed bills were defeated. With these defeats, the Irish became radicalized and formed their own paramilitary groups to pursue their goal of home rule. 

Photo: bbc.co.uk

After the outbreak of World War II, any hopes of home rule legislation gaining passage were dashed, so the radical Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) planned an uprising that would garner aid from Germany. This was a highly controversial move even within the group, so the plans were kept secret in order to ensure that it happened. 

In early April 1916, a German ship began traveling to Ireland to deliver weapons. A message was sent out that an uprising would occur in the near future. The weapons arrived on April 21, Good Friday, but this was earlier than the IRB expected and the British intercepted the ship because they were aware of the plot, having intercepted radio messages from the Germans. The original date of Easter could no longer be the day of the planned uprising, so Easter Monday, April 24 was chosen. Radical Irish men prepared to fight for their freedom. 

Photo: theirishrevolution.ie (German ship Aud that was carrying weapons to Ireland)

On April 24, about 1200 men gathered and began their strategy to attack and capture locations in Dublin. These volunteers were led by James Connolly, Patrick Pearse, Tom Clarke, Sean MacDermott and Joseph Plunkett. These men made the General Post Office their headquarters as it was at the center of Dublin. Outside the building, under a Republican flag, Pearse read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, in which he declared Ireland free of English rule. 

Photo: Hilary Grabowska

Martial law was declared in the city and soldiers were sent to put down the uprising. The Irish radicals managed to hold out for five days but retreated from many of their strategic locations and consolidated at the Post Office. Finally, on April 29th, after the Post Office was shelled, the members of the Easter Uprising were forced to surrender.

Their hope that the citizens of Dublin would join them in the rebellion was never realized, and they needed Dublin to fight in order for the rest of Ireland to follow their example. 

Photo: generalmichaelcollins.com

485 people had been killed in the uprising, most of them citizens on the sidelines, and over 2000 were wounded. More than 3000 people were arrested for their involvement or suspected involvement in the uprising. They were tried in secret by courts martial, which was later proved to have been illegal. Nineteen were sentenced to death and this included all of the signers of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic.

They were executed by firing squad inside Kilmainham Gaol. The British claimed that only the leaders of the Irish Republican Brotherhood were killed but not all who were executed were actually leaders of the rebellion. One, Eamon De Valera, escaped execution because he was an American citizen. 

Photo: Hilary Grabowska (one of the execution sites in Kilmainham Gaol)

The executions and harsh treatment by the British upset Dubliners and they became more sympathetic toward the rebels, demonstrating that there was a desire for home rule. However, the secretive approach in planning the uprising had not allowed the citizens to participate, a miscalculation by the rebels. With the escape of De Valera and others from execution, the fight for Irish independence continued and eventually resulted in the Irish War of Independence. 

Photo: Hilary Grabowska

While it failed at the time, the Easter Rising was the beginning of the end of British rule in Ireland.

In DC, Even the Plants are Political

The National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC is a world famous event, attracting visitors from around the country and the world to see a parade, fireworks, art exhibits, kite flying and, of course, the spectacular blossoms. The Japanese cherry trees were sent to the United States by the city of Tokyo as a sign of friendship and have amazed visitors each spring for over 100 years. 

Photo: Hilary Grabowska

Initially, trees were sent to Washington in 1909 but that shipment was infected by bugs, prompting President William Howard Taft to order them burned to protect other trees and plants in the city. The Secretary of State sent an apology to the Ambassador of Japan for burning the trees in order to protect diplomatic relations between the two nations. More trees were sent in 1912 and on March 27th, First Lady Helen Taft and the wife of the Japanese ambassador, Viscountess Chinda, planted the first trees in a small, private ceremony without any photographers. 

Photo: fhwa.dot.gov (Lady Bird Johnson planted a cherry tree on the Tidal Basin in 1965)

The trees became so beloved in DC that when the Tidal Basin was selected as the location for the Jefferson Memorial in 1938, many people voiced their displeasure. Some women actually chained themselves to the trees to ensure that they would not be cut down. President Franklin D. Roosevelt made a statement in which he said the trees were only being transplanted and if the women did not unchain themselves, they too would be relocated along with the trees. 

Photo: nps.gov

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Americans did not view the trees as favorably and some were even cut down in suspected retaliation for the unprovoked attack by the Empire of Japan, though the motive was never confirmed. In order to protect the rest of the trees, they were referred to as "Oriental" cherry trees rather than Japanese cherry trees. 

Photo: smithsonianmag.com (One of the four trees that had been chopped down)

The first Cherry Blossom Festival was held in 1927 and was expanded in 1935. Today, the festival occurs over five weekends and over a million people flock to the Washington Mall and Tidal Basin to see the trees as well as participate in festival activities. While the festival is a wonderful way for the Nation's Capital to celebrate spring, the sheer number of people attending puts a strain on the National Mall, which is a National Park, as well as on the trees (many people seem unable to resist climbing the trees, which damages the fragile branches). Visitors are reminded that as lovely as they are, the trees were also a diplomatic gift from another nation, that they represent friendship with Japan and are meant to be shared by all. 

Photo: Hilary Grabowska