Do YOU know what JUNETEENTH is? For those who may still be unfamiliar, Juneteenth (June 19,1865) is a celebration of the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved Black people/stolen Africans, who were still enslaved even after the emancipation proclamation, in Galveston, Texas. This declaration of liberation came from a General Orderby Union Army General Gordon Granger. As of June 19, 2021, the 156th anniversary of Juneteenth, President Biden signed into law the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, S. 475, creating a federal holiday to commemorate Juneteenth.
Truly, one cannot sufficiently discuss the 13th amendment in 2022 without addressing the penal system and its rebranded slavery practice. Peonage is the system of convict labor through which a person is forced to work against his or her will, with little control over his or her working conditions. In 1866, one year after the 13th Amendment was ratified -thereby legally “ending” slavery, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina began to lease out convicts for labor (peonage) -this made the practice of arresting Black people a very lucrative business. As a result, hundreds of white men were hired as police officers (rebranded slave patrols) by these states whose primary responsibility was to seek out and arrest newly freed descendants of the enslaved Africans who were deemed in violation of Black Codes. Once arrested, these men, women and CHILDREN would be leased back to plantations where they would harvest cotton, tobacco, sugar cane, or they would be leased to work at coal mines, or railroad companies.
Edit ImageThe unfair penalization of accused people, particularly Black and brown folks continues on, and the data validates the outcomes of these systemically oppressive and disenfranchising practices fueled by inherent biases. This is why the Harassment and Assault Reporting Platform (H.A.R.P) in coordination with the Harrisburg Abolition Table (HAT) and the Dauphin County Bail Fund (DCBF) are hosting a Juneteenth Love in Action Protest on Monday June 13th, 3-5pm EST at the Dauphin County Prison. We invite you to join us in advocating for our incarcerated folks. This protest aims to:
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Stand in solidarity with our imprisoned folks and their ongoing unmet needs.
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Protest the fence; Not just physical but metaphorical for the ongoing conditions
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Encourage greater participation in the monthly Dauphin County Prison inspection board meetings
How will you observe Juneteenth this year? Are you planning, hosting or attending a Juneteenth related event? take a moment and add it to our Events List and #LetsHARPaboutIt.
