The Revolutionary Woke War 2021
The Revolutionary Woke War 2021:
Should African Americans Celebrate July 4th ?
Min. Paul Scott
The issue of whether African Americans should celebrate the 4th of July is one of those eternal questions that is often asked this time of year but never receives a valid answer. Why do Black folks feel obligated to dress up in red, white and blue top hats and sing the Star Spangled Banner to commemorate a day when our ancestors were picking tobacco in the hot Carolina sun?
However, in 2021 , when there is a Revolutionary “Woke” War being waged in this country around critical race theory and anti-racism education in this country , this Independence Day will take on an added significance. How one chooses to celebrate or not celebrate the Fourth may become the lynchpin of the whole Critical Race Theory controversy.
Historians trace the genesis of the question back to slavery times when the enslaved Africans were not required to work on some holidays. So as one writer put it, for Black folk, psychologically, we reenact Emancipation Day every weekend and holiday. However, we must never confuse a day off work with historical accuracy.
This may come as a shock for some but black folks weren’t free in 1776. Matter of fact, it wasn’t until four score and five years later that Abe Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation.
Also, it must be noted that Black people gained nothing from America’s victory over the British. Lerone Bennet writes in his book, Before the Mayflower, that Lord Dunmore, former governor of colonial Virginia, issued a proclamation on November 5, 1775 promising freedom to all male slaves willing to fight for England. This was 86 years before Lincoln “freed” the slaves in states that were rebelling against the Union.
Not to mention that Britain abolished slavery in 1833 and it was not until 32 years later that chattel slavery was abolished in America.
While some may argue that Independence Day is not about slavery but the higher ideals of Freedom, Justice and the Pursuit of Happiness, that is another lie that has been repeated so much that people accept it as religious dogma.
In Eric Williams’ book ,Capitalism and Slavery, he states very clearly that the Revolutionary War was based on economics; American sovereignty versus British imperialism. According to Williams, the main source of the conflict was the control of the West Indian sugar and molasses trade. Dr. Ishakamusa Barashango in his work ,Afrikan People and European Holidays: A Mental Genocide Vol II writes that the American colonists needed the molasses to make rum that was used to exchange for slaves on the West African coast.
So, why in 2021, will even the most educated African Americans ,so vehemently ,defend their compulsions to celebrate a false holiday?
Part of the problem is the belief that in order to “make it” in American society, African Americans have to “go along to get along.” Unfortunately, many do not have the courage exhibited by the children in the Emperor’s New Clothes fable to tell his royal highness that not only was he buttnaked but a slave owner as well, figuratively speaking.
So every year, they put on writer Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s “mask that grins and lies” and sit down at 4th of July picnic tables, gobbling down as many hot dogs as they can stomach.
What WEB DuBois referred to as a “double consciousness” having to be both African and American, psychologists would label a split personality disorder.
Historically, when we wanted to be part of the American Dream they wouldn’t let us but when we rejected white America’s ideology they called us “divisive” and “reverse racists.” So the implied threat behind bumper stickers that read “America: Love it or Leave it” is enough to beat most black folks into psychological submission.
The saddest part of the whole ordeal is the message that we are sending young black children when we encourage them to celebrate Independence Day. Instead of teaching our children to think critically, we are forcing them to accept a ,blatantly, false version of history without examining the facts. How can we teach them to value education when the foundation of the United State’s educational system is based on a 200 year old lie that had a holiday formed around it. To teach young black children to celebrate Independence Day is intellectually, criminal.
Instead of eating hot dogs around the grill next weekend, African Americans must not engage in such ahistorical trivialities. Instead we must take the time to organize and mobilize against legislation aimed at banning the ugly truth about American history from being taught in classrooms/
So, go ahead white America, enjoy your day in the sun. But as a descendant of enslaved Africans, I close with the immortal words of Frederick Douglas:
“This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.”
Minister Paul Scott is founder of the Durham NC based Black Messiah Movement. He can be reached at (919) 972–8305 or email minpaulscott@yahoo.com Twitter @truthminista
