Research Paper on Holidays of Interest to Black Americans
According to an article written by Nadra Kareem Nittle there are 5 holidays that interest African Americans. The five holidays are geared towards the black culture. Each holiday has a significant cause for celebration. The five highly celebrated holidays are Juneteenth (June 19th), Martin Luther King Day (January 17th), Black History Month (the entire month of February), Kwanzaa (December 26 to January 1), and Loving Day which is celebrated December 26 to January 1 of every year.
With Juneteenth being the oldest black holiday dating back to 1865, this holiday has been called several different names such as Black Independence Day, Jubilee Day and Freedom Day. On January 1, 1963 President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation freeing all slaves. Though the Proclamation was signed in 1863 it was not enforced in the South until the Civil War ended in 1865. Fast forward a century and a half later 2021 our current President Joe Biden made it official naming June 19th a federal holiday called Juneteenth National Independence Day. Black Americans all over the United States celebrate this holiday as the official day of freedom.
Martin Luther King Jr. a well-known civil rights leader, activist, and minister. His role in the bus boycott transformed him into a well- known figure and a lead spokesman for the civil right movement of the 1950’s. King is known for his legendary “I Have A Dream” speech at the Lincoln memorial in Washington D.C. He pushed to end segregation in hopes that his dream would become a reality. In the 1970’s and early 1980’s his family and supporters fought to make a federal King holiday a reality. In 1983 the legislation for a national King holiday was passed.
Kwanzaa another week -long celebration designed for Black Americans to reflect on their heritage, and their African connections. Kwanzaa was created by Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga an African American author and activist that currently lives in Parsonsburg, Maryland. Kwanzaa is celebrated between December 26 through January 1 of every year. Even though one might feel as though this is a black holiday it can be celebrated by all Americans.
What is love? Love is an attraction between two individuals that can lead to a sexual encounter. Love is selfless, it doesn’t know color or gender. Because of the laws in the state of Virginia, Richard and Mildred Loving a bi-racial couple from found it hard to display their love for one another. The two were subjected to harassment, discrimination, and arrest until they decided to challenge the laws in their home state. On June 12, 1967 the U.S. Supreme Court decided to strike down what is known as anti-miscegenation laws. Because of the Loving vs Virginia case I am free to love my fiancé freely and publicly.
In 1926 a man by the name of Carter G. Woodson wanted to recognize black men and women for their contributions to Americans culture and society. This started an annual week -long celebration. This celebration would be called Negro History Week which lead to what we know today as Black History Month. February is jammed packed with festivities celebrating the black heritage. With all this in mind Woodson wanted to show respect for Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass. Lincoln and Douglass were both born in February and they both made great contributions to the change in American culture. In the 1940s black teachers began to teach Negro History despite the wrath brought on by the principals. Before Woodson’s death in 1950 he saw his dream slowly come to pass. Today Carter Woodson is known as the Father of Black History.
As you can see Black History is well celebrated in the United States. But not everyone understands the history behind the holidays. I found this article to be very educational an informative. The research was worth the while.
