To Those Of You Who Visit,

(So far today, no one has clicked on the Juneteenth links to discover the history of the day. I am a bit disappointed.)

In the USA yesterday, which was June 19, 2020, there were celebrations, known as Juneteenth, across the country in honor of slavery being abolished in the US.

“Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.  Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19^th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. ” – Juneteenth.com

Do visit the site and learn interesting details. I studied Reconstruction history at university and was never made aware of the date or the delay in Texas. But, it was mostly focused on the political and social reconstruction in states the government of the time directed their attention to.

Some of my regular visitors to the blog may have noticed I did not post anything special in honor of this day. This might seem odd, considering my various poetry challenges’ prompt words for the past several weeks have been specifically geared toward the current protest and #BlackLivesMatter movement. My blog is pretty much my only way to physically support any kind of movement. Well, here and my Social Media, from which I do occasionally Tweet African American authors free kindle books I come across AND get myself. I’m not going to promote unless the book has good reviews, otherwise, I think I am, in some ways, being racist.

All of that to say the following. The reason I didn’t post yesterday was that I felt it somewhat hypocritical of me, as a White man, or a person of any skin color than black, to post my support when I have done nothing until recently in support of the cause of equality for all.  To post would, to me, feel as though I were being racist somehow. Almost taking advantage of something that was not mine to bring visitors to my blog.

None of the above paragraph would have been my intent. However, until I have been consistent and intentional in my support of equality for all, I have no right to jump on a wagon that I am not pulling.

Respectfully,

Ronovan – An Awakening White Man

© 2020 Ronovan Hester Copyright reserved. The author asserts his moral and legal rights over this work.