Madison 2014 Junteenth Commemoration at Penn Park, and Lyrics to Bob Marley’s “400 Years” (of slavery)

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According to Kujichagulia-Madison Center for Self Determination, today marks the Madison area’a 25th annual celebration of Juneteeth, a nationally recognized community-wide event commemorating the last formal announcement from the federal government that African-American slavery in the United States was legally over.

According to history, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, but it took close to three more years before the full emancipation of America’s slaves was completed!

The historic moment that slavery was last announced as illegal in the U.S. came on June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to issue General Order No. 3, officially freeing America’s last African-American slaves. Slavery of Africans, initiated first in the Caribbean Islands about 1600, was finally over in the U.S..

As with previous Juneteenth celebrations, the day is celebrated with words, song, dance and food; at the city of Madison’s Penn Park, from 10 am to 6 pm, June 21.Gospel music is highlighted as well as performances, children’s events and a heritage area.

The event kicks off with a parade beginning at Fountain of Life Family Worship Center on West Badger Road in Madison.

Song lyrics to Bob Marley’s

“400 Years” [of slavery]

400 years 400 years, 400 years.
And it’s the same,
The same philosophy

I’ve said it’s four hundred years,
400 years, 400 years.
Look, how long.
And the people they still can’t see.
Why do they fight against the poor youth of today?
And without these youths, they would be gone –
All gone astray

Come on, let’s make a move,
make a move, make a move.
I can see time – time has come,
And if-a fools don’t see
fools don’t see, fools don’t see.

I can’t save the youth:
The youth is gonna be strong.
So, won’t you come with me;
I’ll take you to a land of liberty
Where we can live – live a good, good life
And be free.

Look how long: 400 years, 400 years, 400 years –
Way too long!

That’s the reason my people – my people can’t see.
Said, it’s four hundred long years, 400 years, 400 years.
Give me patience – same philosophy.

It’s been 400 years, 400 years, 400 years.
Wait so long!
How long? 400 long, long years….

About Mike Neuman

Identical twin; Long-time advocate of protection of our environment; Married; Father to three sons; Grandfather to one granddaughter; Born and raised in Wisconsin; Graduate of University of Wisconsin; post graduate degrees in agricultural economics and Water Resources Management fro UWMadison; Former School Crossing Guard for City of Madison; Bike to Work for 31 years with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Retired from DNR in 2007; Biked to school crossing guard site 2 X daily for 7 years retiring in 2019; in addition to being an advocate of safeguarding our environment, I am also an advocate for humane treatment of animal, children, and people in need of financial resource for humane living. I am presently a Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, Madison, Wisconsin. I oppose all long (>500 miles) distance travel (via fossil fuel burning) for nonessential purposes and all ownership of more than one home. I am opposed to militarism in any form particularly for the purpose of monetary gain. I am a Strong believer in people everywhere having the right to speak their minds openly, without any fear of reprisal, regarding any concerns; especially against those in authority who are not acting for the public good?in a timely fashion and in all countries of the world not just the U S.. My identical twin, Pat, died in June 2009. He was fired from his job with the National Weather Service despite having a long and successful career as a flood forecaster with the Kansas City National Weather Service. He took a new position in the Midwest Regional Office in Minneapolis. Unfortunately, Pat’s work for the NWS went sour after he began to see the evidence for concern about rising global temperatures shortly after relocating to Minneapolis, and how they appeared to effect of flooding on the Red River that flows out of Canada before entering the U.S. in North Dakota. . Pat and I conversed on a regular basis with other scientists on the Yahoo Group named “Climate Concern “ and by personal email. The NWS denied his recommendation to give his public presentation o n his research at the “Minneapolis Mall of America” in February 2000, which deeply affected h,im. I will h He strongly believed the information ought be shared with the public to which I concurred. That was the beginning of the vendetta against my brother, Patrick J. Neuman, for speaking strongly of the obligations the federal government was responsible for accurately informing the citizenry. A way great similar response to my raising the issue of too many greenhouse gases being emitted by drivers of vehicles on Wisconsin highway system, my immediate supervisors directed: “that neither global warming, climate change nor the long term impacts upon the natural resources of Wisconsin from expansion of the state highway system were to be any part of my job requirements, and that I must not communicate, nor in a memorandum to all the bureau, shall any person who works in the same bureau I do communicate with me, neither verbally on the phone, by email.

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