theroot--2020-06-18--Well What Do Ya Know, New Book Claims Trump Was Out Here Begging China's President to Help Him Get R

Well What Do Ya Know, New Book Claims Trump Was Out Here Begging China's President to Help Him Get Reelected

We have to get this out up front : F ormer national security adviser John Bolton is no hero .
I mean how could he be as he ’ s from the family Bolton , which gave us Ramsay and Michael before him .
Let ’ s remember that after leaving the White House , Bolton , third of his name , was asked by the House committees to voluntarily testify during the president ’ s impeachment hearings to come forth and shut shit down , and John of the family Bolton literally refused to testify to the president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve potentially ended this nightmare of an administration and saved America .
It got so bad that writer Daniel Alter wrote a Time ’ s piece titled , “ If John Bolton Keeps Refusing to Testify , Congress Should Arrest Him.
” Below is an excerpt .
But what if there were a critical witness , say a very senior official , who is no longer an officer of the executive branch ?
What if that person had a spokesman announce that he or she has firsthand knowledge of “ many relevant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiry “ that have not yet been discussed ” ?
And what if that person insisted that he or she would not testify before Congress unless and until a federal court ruled that a House subpoena was enforceable ?
What should the House of Representatives do in those circumstances ?
Well , according to his own attorney ’ s statement , Ambassador John Bolton – President Trump ’ s former National Security Advisor – is that witness .
Indeed , witness after witness at the House impeachment hearings has confirmed the centrality of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this .
Given Mr. Bolton ’ s senior rank , political gravitas and widely reported opposition to Mr. Trump ’ s dealings with Ukraine , his testimony could condemn or vindicate the President .
Either way , he is a source of invaluable evidence in a matter of the highest national importance .
In no circumstances , therefore , must the House give Bolton the prerogative to put conditions on his compliance with a subpoena .
So fuck John Bolton , Ramsay and Michael .
Now , then and : But I must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire Bolton brood hasn ’ t stopped me from listening to all the damaging Lipton that has been coming from Bolton ’ s messy ass book that hasn ’ t even been released .
According to the Washington Post , which acquired a copy of Bolton ’ s soon-to-be-released book , The Room Where It Happened : A White House Memoir , President Trump of the family of fuckheads , begged “ Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win the 2020 U.S. election , telling Xi during a summit dinner last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American farmers would aid his electoral prospects.
” Apparently Trump pressed Xi out during a one-on-one meeting at the June 2019 Group of 20 s ummit in Japan .
Xi was reportedly complaining to Trump about critics of China and Trump immediately assumed he meant Democrats .
“ He then , stunningly , turned the conversation to the coming U.S. presidential election , alluding to China ’ s economic capability to affect the ongoing campaigns , pleading with Xi to ensure he ’ d win , ” Bolton writes , the Post notes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmers , and increased Chinese purchases of soybeans and wheat in the electoral outcome .
I would print Trump ’ s exact words but the government ’ s prepublication review process has decided otherwise.
” Bolton is out here telling y ’ all that he has the words that fell from Trump ’ s anus-shaped mouth but the government is holding him back because they don ’ t want this work .
The episode described by Bolton in his book , “ The Room Where It Happened : A White House Memoir , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that resulted in Trump ’ s impeachment after he sought to pressure the Ukrainian president to help dig up dirt on Democratic rival Joe Biden in exchange for military assistance .
The China allegation also comes amid ongoing warnings from U.S. intelligence agencies about foreign election interference in November , as Russia did to favor Trump in 2016 .
Bolton ’ s 592-page memoir , obtained by The Washington Post , is the most substantive , critical dissection of the president from an administration insider so far , coming from a conservative who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is a longtime contributor to Fox News .
It portrays Trump as an “ erratic ” and “ stunningly uninformed ” commander in chief , and lays out a long series of jarring and troubling encounters between the president , his top advisers and foreign leaders .
The book is the subject of an escalating legal battle between the longtime conservative foreign policy hand and the Justice Department , which filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to block its publication by alleging that it contains classified material .
Bolton ’ s attorney has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ material and that it underwent an arduous review process .
Bolton claims that the book contains his notes and “ numerous details of internal meetings and direct quotations attributed to Trump and others.
” Trump and his cronies have already started their destruction campaign and have dubbed the former national security adviser “ Book Deal Bolton , ” which is funny and true considering Bolton sold America out just to push a book .
Shockingly , Trump hasn ’ t said anything negative about Bolton or his new book .
Sike , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goddamn rampage of “ I don ’ t know him ” and “ he ’ s crazy ” tweets .
So now we wait for the book to be released and by book , I ’ m absolutely referring to the book by Trump ’ s niece because I can ’ t imagine spending a dime on Bolton ’ s book knowing that he could ’ ve saved us from this headache and instead chose to sit on his hands so he could push a book .
Who am I kidding ?
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book and expense it but I won ’ t enjoy it unless it talks about Trump sneaking Russian prostitutes into the White House .
And by Russian prostitutes , I mean South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham .

We have to get this out up front: F ormer national security adviser John Bolton is no hero. I mean how could he be as he’s from the family Bolton, which gave us Ramsay and Michael before him. Let’s remember that after leaving the White House, Bolton, third of his name, was asked by the House committees to voluntarily testify during the president’s impeachment hearings to come forth and shut shit down, and John of the family Bolton literally refused to testify to the president’s dealings with Ukraine, which could’ve potentially ended this nightmare of an administration and saved America.
It got so bad that writer Daniel Alter wrote a Time’s piece titled, “If John Bolton Keeps Refusing to Testify, Congress Should Arrest Him.” Below is an excerpt.
But what if there were a critical witness, say a very senior official, who is no longer an officer of the executive branch? What if that person had a spokesman announce that he or she has firsthand knowledge of “many relevant meetings and conversations” regarding the impeachment inquiry “that have not yet been discussed”? And what if that person insisted that he or she would not testify before Congress unless and until a federal court ruled that a House subpoena was enforceable? What should the House of Representatives do in those circumstances? Well, according to his own attorney’s statement, Ambassador John Bolton – President Trump’s former National Security Advisor – is that witness. Indeed, witness after witness at the House impeachment hearings has confirmed the centrality of Bolton’s role in all of this. Given Mr. Bolton’s senior rank, political gravitas and widely reported opposition to Mr. Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, his testimony could condemn or vindicate the President. Either way, he is a source of invaluable evidence in a matter of the highest national importance. In no circumstances, therefore, must the House give Bolton the prerogative to put conditions on his compliance with a subpoena.
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So fuck John Bolton, Ramsay and Michael. Now, then and:
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But I must also admit that my hatred for the entire Bolton brood hasn’t stopped me from listening to all the damaging Lipton that has been coming from Bolton’s messy ass book that hasn’t even been released.
According to the Washington Post, which acquired a copy of Bolton’s soon-to-be-released book, The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir, President Trump of the family of fuckheads, begged “Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win the 2020 U.S. election, telling Xi during a summit dinner last year that increased agricultural purchases by Beijing from American farmers would aid his electoral prospects.”
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Apparently Trump pressed Xi out during a one-on-one meeting at the June 2019 Group of 20 s ummit in Japan. Xi was reportedly complaining to Trump about critics of China and Trump immediately assumed he meant Democrats.
“He then, stunningly, turned the conversation to the coming U.S. presidential election, alluding to China’s economic capability to affect the ongoing campaigns, pleading with Xi to ensure he’d win,” Bolton writes, the Post notes. “He stressed the importance of farmers, and increased Chinese purchases of soybeans and wheat in the electoral outcome. I would print Trump’s exact words but the government’s prepublication review process has decided otherwise.”
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Whaaaaaatttttt?
Bolton is out here telling y’all that he has the words that fell from Trump’s anus-shaped mouth but the government is holding him back because they don’t want this work.
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From the Post:
The episode described by Bolton in his book, “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” bears striking similarities to the actions that resulted in Trump’s impeachment after he sought to pressure the Ukrainian president to help dig up dirt on Democratic rival Joe Biden in exchange for military assistance. The China allegation also comes amid ongoing warnings from U.S. intelligence agencies about foreign election interference in November, as Russia did to favor Trump in 2016. Bolton’s 592-page memoir, obtained by The Washington Post, is the most substantive, critical dissection of the president from an administration insider so far, coming from a conservative who has worked in Republican administrations for decades and is a longtime contributor to Fox News. It portrays Trump as an “erratic” and “stunningly uninformed” commander in chief, and lays out a long series of jarring and troubling encounters between the president, his top advisers and foreign leaders. The book is the subject of an escalating legal battle between the longtime conservative foreign policy hand and the Justice Department, which filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to block its publication by alleging that it contains classified material. Bolton’s attorney has said the book does not contain classified material and that it underwent an arduous review process.
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Bolton claims that the book contains his notes and “numerous details of internal meetings and direct quotations attributed to Trump and others.”
Trump and his cronies have already started their destruction campaign and have dubbed the former national security adviser “Book Deal Bolton,” which is funny and true considering Bolton sold America out just to push a book.
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Shockingly, Trump hasn’t said anything negative about Bolton or his new book.
Sike, you know he’s gone on a goddamn rampage of “I don’t know him” and “he’s crazy” tweets.
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So now we wait for the book to be released and by book, I’m absolutely referring to the book by Trump’s niece because I can’t imagine spending a dime on Bolton’s book knowing that he could’ve saved us from this headache and instead chose to sit on his hands so he could push a book. Who am I kidding? I will probably be getting Bolton’s book and expense it but I won’t enjoy it unless it talks about Trump sneaking Russian prostitutes into the White House. And by Russian prostitutes, I mean South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham.


theroot--2020-06-18--10 Thoughts on J. Cole's 'Snow On Tha Bluff'

On June 16 , J. Cole released a song that lit up social media titled , “ Snow On Tha Bluff , ” named after the 2011 is-it-a-movie-or-is-it-a-documentary ( ? )
of the same name that featured Atlanta ’ s finest , Curtis Snow , jacking a camera from some film school kids and recording the happenings of his Bankhead neighborhood called The Bluff .
Here are 10 thoughts about it , the song , not the movie ... or documentary .
1 .
Full disclosure , I ’ m not a fan of J. Cole as an artist .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who doesn ’ t “ get it ” when it comes to how impactful his art is .
I think he can rap , but he ’ s definitely not the transformative artist many others purport him to be .
At the same time , I have found him to be immensely more compelling as a human being than as a rapper .
Generally , or at least in the documentaries he ’ s put out , he seems pretty thoughtful and like a person who gives a shit about things .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confusion I have around this song .
2 .
I also think that Cole ’ s most compelling works ( to me , anyway ) have been where he insightfully critiques art , specifically hip hop , and culture .
“ Snow On Tha Bluff ” attempts to be one of those records .
And there is an insightful critique in the song about how we use our platforms and what is the most effective way to do so .
Full stop .
3 .
There is also a better way to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The argument Cole is making is one I ’ ve made , albeit in a different forum , about the criticisms levied by people in ivory towers towards the people on the ground and how folks who could most benefit from the knowledge and lessons of the few are unable to access it or receive it for various reasons .
Thing is , I was talking about folks like Cornel West and Michael Eric Dyson , as I was largely curious as to who their discussions and books were meant for since they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the street .
Cole is using as his muse in this line of thinking a poet named NoName who isn ’ t resting on her laurels from an ivory tower , nor does she come from that world .
She ’ s a poet from the Southside of Chicago .
She ’ s not the hyper-privileged speaking to the underprivileged in a manner that is condescending .
She ’ s a woman with a platform and a book club and one who uses both ( more on using platforms in a minute ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 .
I ’ ve been having a convo all morning about whether or not the song ( or at least the parts about NoName ) were sexist or not .
My conversation has been with men .
I actually broached the convo because I couldn ’ t believe that ( or maybe was surprised is more accurate ) Cole would release a song dripping with sexism right now .
And I was met with some resistance about whether or not it was sexist .
Understandably , debating sexism amongst men is probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it was clear to me .
Not so much to some others .
The convos are always interesting because the bar for racism is so low , but the bar for sexism , especially amongst men , is much harder to reach and is less dire , to men .
We ’ ve been down this road before so there ’ s no need to reinvent the wheel , but telling a woman that she has a valid critique but it bothered you because of her tone is a sexist dog whistle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from her if she talked to you “ better ” is ridiculous .
It just is .
If a white person were to say this to any black person , it ’ s a problem , period .
Somehow the inherent sexism is arguable to a wide swath of people .
He felt personally attacked and decided the problem was her delivery ; that ’ s right from the sexist playbook .
At the very least , Cole , for as thoughtful as I believe him to be , should have known better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter which leads me to either believe he truly doesn ’ t see it ( which would be sexist ) or his ego won ’ t let him acknowledge it .
5 .
Especially since any number of individuals have been critical of celebrities during this time .
Dave Chappelle literally included Don Lemon in his 8:46 special because Don called on celebrities to do more .
Why did Cole feel like NoName was speaking about him but Don Lemon wasn ’ t ?
Why did Cole feel the need to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a critique that could include him ?
6 .
It ’ s interesting that in a song where Cole speaks about feeling like he ’ s not doing enough he takes aim at somebody who he thinks is doing something but not in the most productive way .
What is the point of that ?
If Cole wanted to do more , he could use his sizable platform , to do more .
And I don ’ t even think Cole is somebody who isn ’ t doing enough , whatever that means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for doing something ( though apparently not enough because of how she does it ) he could have made a song that does ... more .
Or something .
I guess I just don ’ t understand the “ why ” here .
Hell , why wasn ’ t this a phone call if he felt personally dogged by her Twitter timeline ?
7 .
I ’ m loathed to say that Cole feels some sort of imposter syndrome but it ’ s almost as if he ’ s doing the “ you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am , I ’ m just trying to be me , ” thing and he feels guilty about the part he actually has control over , ie .
doing more .
Why he couldn ’ t just make a song about that is beyond me .
8 .
I am , however , on board with the critique and concerned about how to meet in the middle .
Except , more and more folks are finding unique ways to do it .
If Cole has a problem with her methods , I mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he could pay attention to .
Seriously .
Does he believe she is the prophet or something , the one who will lead us to freedom and thus he ’ s frustrated that she has taken , by his estimation , a holier than thou approach on issues of social justice and community ?
Shit , how does Cole feel about Shaun King ?
Or DeRay ?
Or Tamika Mallory ?
Or hell anybody involved in community organizing and information dissemination ?
Where are their songs ?
9 .
No drums , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gon ’ come for niggas without drums ?
10 .
I like to hope that this will all be addressed over the phone with them .
Cole has a shit-ton of supporters who absolutely love the song and for whom the message is more important than the method .
I just don ’ t understand how a nigga who doesn ’ t feel like he ’ s doing enough with a Twitter following of over 13 million and a musical platform and name that commands at least a listen to any project he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She ’ s doing her part in the world she inhabits .
Why criticize somebody who is doing something—enough to draw your own ire—and point out that you ain ’ t doing shit in the same breath ?
That shit sounds stupid to me .
Basically , J. Cole is Molly .

Panama Jackson on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Panama Jackson to The Root

On June 16, J. Cole released a song that lit up social media titled, “Snow On Tha Bluff,” named after the 2011 is-it-a-movie-or-is-it-a-documentary (?) of the same name that featured Atlanta’s finest, Curtis Snow, jacking a camera from some film school kids and recording the happenings of his Bankhead neighborhood called The Bluff. Here are 10 thoughts about it, the song, not the movie...or documentary.
1. Full disclosure, I’m not a fan of J. Cole as an artist. I’m one of those folks who doesn’t “get it” when it comes to how impactful his art is. I think he can rap, but he’s definitely not the transformative artist many others purport him to be. At the same time, I have found him to be immensely more compelling as a human being than as a rapper. Generally, or at least in the documentaries he’s put out, he seems pretty thoughtful and like a person who gives a shit about things. That last part is important in discussing the confusion I have around this song.
2. I also think that Cole’s most compelling works (to me, anyway) have been where he insightfully critiques art, specifically hip hop, and culture. “Snow On Tha Bluff” attempts to be one of those records. And there is an insightful critique in the song about how we use our platforms and what is the most effective way to do so. Full stop.
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3. There is also a better way to do it than how Cole did it. The argument Cole is making is one I’ve made, albeit in a different forum, about the criticisms levied by people in ivory towers towards the people on the ground and how folks who could most benefit from the knowledge and lessons of the few are unable to access it or receive it for various reasons. Thing is, I was talking about folks like Cornel West and Michael Eric Dyson, as I was largely curious as to who their discussions and books were meant for since they almost never speak to the man on the street. Cole is using as his muse in this line of thinking a poet named NoName who isn’t resting on her laurels from an ivory tower, nor does she come from that world. She’s a poet from the Southside of Chicago. She’s not the hyper-privileged speaking to the underprivileged in a manner that is condescending. She’s a woman with a platform and a book club and one who uses both (more on using platforms in a minute) to effect change how she can.
4. I’ve been having a convo all morning about whether or not the song (or at least the parts about NoName) were sexist or not. My conversation has been with men. I actually broached the convo because I couldn’t believe that (or maybe was surprised is more accurate) Cole would release a song dripping with sexism right now. And I was met with some resistance about whether or not it was sexist. Understandably, debating sexism amongst men is probably not the best forum for change, but it was clear to me. Not so much to some others. The convos are always interesting because the bar for racism is so low, but the bar for sexism, especially amongst men, is much harder to reach and is less dire, to men.
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We’ve been down this road before so there’s no need to reinvent the wheel, but telling a woman that she has a valid critique but it bothered you because of her tone is a sexist dog whistle. Telling a woman you could learn from her if she talked to you “better” is ridiculous. It just is. If a white person were to say this to any black person, it’s a problem, period. Somehow the inherent sexism is arguable to a wide swath of people. He felt personally attacked and decided the problem was her delivery; that’s right from the sexist playbook. At the very least, Cole, for as thoughtful as I believe him to be, should have known better. But he doubled down on it on Twitter which leads me to either believe he truly doesn’t see it (which would be sexist) or his ego won’t let him acknowledge it.
5. Especially since any number of individuals have been critical of celebrities during this time. Dave Chappelle literally included Don Lemon in his 8:46 special because Don called on celebrities to do more. Why did Cole feel like NoName was speaking about him but Don Lemon wasn’t? Why did Cole feel the need to make a whole song because this woman levied a critique that could include him?
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6. It’s interesting that in a song where Cole speaks about feeling like he’s not doing enough he takes aim at somebody who he thinks is doing something but not in the most productive way. What is the point of that? If Cole wanted to do more, he could use his sizable platform, to do more. And I don’t even think Cole is somebody who isn’t doing enough, whatever that means. But instead of critiquing a woman for doing something (though apparently not enough because of how she does it) he could have made a song that does...more. Or something. I guess I just don’t understand the “why” here. Hell, why wasn’t this a phone call if he felt personally dogged by her Twitter timeline?
7. I’m loathed to say that Cole feels some sort of imposter syndrome but it’s almost as if he’s doing the “you guys made me into more than I am, I’m just trying to be me,” thing and he feels guilty about the part he actually has control over, ie. doing more. Why he couldn’t just make a song about that is beyond me.
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8. I am, however, on board with the critique and concerned about how to meet in the middle. Except, more and more folks are finding unique ways to do it. If Cole has a problem with her methods, I mean, there are tons of other people he could pay attention to. Seriously. Does he believe she is the prophet or something, the one who will lead us to freedom and thus he’s frustrated that she has taken, by his estimation, a holier than thou approach on issues of social justice and community? Shit, how does Cole feel about Shaun King? Or DeRay? Or Tamika Mallory? Or hell anybody involved in community organizing and information dissemination? Where are their songs?
9. No drums, though, my nigga? Seriously. You gon’ come for niggas without drums?
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10. I like to hope that this will all be addressed over the phone with them. Cole has a shit-ton of supporters who absolutely love the song and for whom the message is more important than the method. I just don’t understand how a nigga who doesn’t feel like he’s doing enough with a Twitter following of over 13 million and a musical platform and name that commands at least a listen to any project he drops decides to send that message. She’s doing her part in the world she inhabits. Why criticize somebody who is doing something—enough to draw your own ire—and point out that you ain’t doing shit in the same breath? That shit sounds stupid to me. Basically, J. Cole is Molly.


theroot--2020-06-18--Oscar Winner Matthew A. Cherry Signs First-Look Deal With Warner Bros. Television Group

When someone scores an Oscar , all Hollywood eyes are on what that winner will do next .
Well , for Matthew A. Cherry , big things are poppin ’ !
According to The Hollywood Reporter , Cherry has signed a first-look deal with Warner Bros. Television Group .
THR has confirmed that the Hair Love filmmaker will “ create , develop and produce new material for multiple platforms ” and that this is his first TV deal .
“ I am beyond excited to be joining the Warner Bros. Television family in this exciting new capacity , ” Cherry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s an important time to be a black creative working in this industry , and I look forward to creating impactful projects and partnering with other talented marginalized voices in our community.
” THR adds some context to the deal : The first-look pact marks an extension of sorts for Cherry with the indie studio for whom he directed episodes of CBS ’ The Red Line and ABC ’ s Whiskey Cavalier .
Cherry will produce all future projects via his Cherry Lane Productions banner .
The deal follows Cherry ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the animated short Hair Love , about an African-American father attempting to do his daughter ’ s hair for the first time .
Released last year , the title was based on Cherry ’ s best-selling book of the same name .
As one of the hardest working men in Hollywood , Cherry has also become known as such a sincerely nice guy amongst his peers .
So , when the news broke , not one person could contain their excitement for the filmmaker .
I ’ m definitely looking forward to seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal as it ’ s been established that he is a champion for adequate representation for black voices .
“ This film was for you .
You know , all throughout the years , you know , there hasn ’ t been characters in ... animation that look like you .
This film was made for you to see yourself , ” Cherry told The Root earlier this year .

Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by Tonja Renée Stidhum to The Root

When someone scores an Oscar, all Hollywood eyes are on what that winner will do next. Well, for Matthew A. Cherry, big things are poppin’!
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cherry has signed a first-look deal with Warner Bros. Television Group. THR has confirmed that the Hair Love filmmaker will “create, develop and produce new material for multiple platforms” and that this is his first TV deal.
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“I am beyond excited to be joining the Warner Bros. Television family in this exciting new capacity,” Cherry said in a statement. “It’s an important time to be a black creative working in this industry, and I look forward to creating impactful projects and partnering with other talented marginalized voices in our community.”
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THR adds some context to the deal:
The first-look pact marks an extension of sorts for Cherry with the indie studio for whom he directed episodes of CBS’ The Red Line and ABC’s Whiskey Cavalier. Cherry will produce all future projects via his Cherry Lane Productions banner. The deal follows Cherry’s February Oscar win for writing and directing the animated short Hair Love, about an African-American father attempting to do his daughter’s hair for the first time. Released last year, the title was based on Cherry’s best-selling book of the same name.
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As one of the hardest working men in Hollywood, Cherry has also become known as such a sincerely nice guy amongst his peers. So, when the news broke, not one person could contain their excitement for the filmmaker.
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I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what Cherry cooks up next in this deal as it’s been established that he is a champion for adequate representation for black voices.
“This film was for you. You know, all throughout the years, you know, there hasn’t been characters in...animation that look like you. This film was made for you to see yourself,” Cherry told The Root earlier this year.
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Congrats to Matthew! You’re next!


theroot--2020-06-19--The Story of Katie Darling and the Complex Jubilation of Juneteenth

Legally , Katie Darling was already free on June 19 , 1865 , when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston , Texas , under federal instruction to occupy the Confederate state .
Backed by almost two thousand Union soldiers , Granger stood on a balcony in the center of town reading General Orders , No .
3 : “ The people of Texas are informed that , in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States , all slaves are free ... this involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The announcement was enormous news , but it came to Galveston a full two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation and six months after the 13th Amendment , which declared all enslaved African descendants freed , had been passed by Congress .
Texas , one of the last outposts of slavery , had over 250,000 enslaved people ; in addition , hundreds of thousands of others were forced to migrate there by slave owners in efforts to escape the Union Army .
Some in Galveston that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking , looking to embrace their newfound freedom immediately .
Many relished the moment , cherishing the day that would eventually become known as Juneteenth .
These annual celebrations , which began in 1866 and have been commemorated ever since , became an occasion freed people would treasure for generations .
Juneteenth marked a monumental change in history for African-Americans ; historian Elizabeth Hayes Turner explained that it offered “ travelers between slavery and freedom to mark a point in their lives , a ‘ red spot on the calendar ’ that bonded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Americans.
” More than the Civil War ’ s end , more than the 4th of July , the day gave way to a powerful , collective memory of Black people rallying around their liberation .
But the day wasn ’ t a simple break with the past , either .
Others were targeted for attempting to leave upon the announcement , the former Confederate mayor threatening them for leaving their former masters .
Throughout Texas , many plantation owners delayed the news or waited until a government official showed up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Marshall , Katie Darling , 16 , would remain on the plantation where she was born into slavery for several more years ; her white mistress refused to let her leave until some freed people in Darling ’ s community organized to secure her freedom .
Her story , among others , raised the question for me : how long will freedom for Black people be deferred ?
A resilient memory in history , Juneteenth is not just a celebration of freedom , but also a reminder of the fight that continues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never forget the day I learned about Juneteenth .
My mother was cooking dinner over the stove , smells of curry chicken wafting through the air as I told her about my school day .
I was eight at the time , and my fourth-grade class had just begun to learn about slavery .
My mom , as usual , had me go over the details .
“ Ms .
Brown said that Abraham Lincoln signed the Emanpisation Procklapation , ” I told her .
“ Abraham Lincoln didn ’ t free the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The Emancipation Proclamation didn ’ t free them either .
Black people freed themselves.
” That night , my mother would search the internet with me so I could learn more about Juneteenth , showing me pictures of celebrations and looking at recorded stories from former slaves .
As I began to celebrate the holiday in the years thereafter , it was the story of Katie Darling that stuck with me the most .
Darling was born into slavery in 1849 , telling her story at 88 years old to interviewers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Project , recording oral histories from the formerly enslaved .
She grew up with three brothers , Peter , Adam , and Willie ; their mother died in slavery and their father escaped North .
Her labor included wet-nursing and caring for the plantation owner ’ s children , as well as milking the cows .
Speaking decades later , she still vividly remembered the battles of the Civil War , when Union and Confederate soldiers met at Mansfield : “ Massas ’ s field am all tore up with cannon holes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , missy go off in a rage .
One time when a cannon fire , she say to me , ‘ You li ’ l black wench , you niggers ain ’ t gwine be free .
You ’ s made to work for white folks.
’ ” When her master came back at the end of the war , he planned to abide by the order to let them go .
But her mistress was determined to defer her freedom even further .
Even with the order of emancipation , Darling stayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me after the war jist like she did ’ fore , ” she said .
It was years before she would escape .
Juneteenth , also known as “ Jubilee Day , ” commemorates the last place that freedom reached the enslaved .
Beginning in Texas , the holiday ’ s first celebrations involved community gatherings centered around church services , readings of the Emancipation Proclamation , and political rallies .
During the early 20th century , the holiday would become more popularized and shift into what it largely is today , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and historical reenactments .
With the Great Migration especially , the celebration traveled North and across the country .
Most states now observe it as a holiday or day of observance .
More than a century and a half since its first celebration , Juneteenth stands to many as a stark example of Black people gaining jurisdiction , particularly during Reconstruction .
It is a tradition passed down over the generations through families and communities , rather than being included in history curriculums ; in 2019 , a tweet urging followers to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning about Juneteenth in school ” went viral with over 215,000 shares .
As protests surrounding George Floyd ’ s death are enlivened across the country , the question of freedom for Black Americans is more relevant than ever .
Though American history often fixates on the idea of prompt independence , fighting for freedom after emancipation was quite common , individually and collectively .
Patsy Mitchner , a formerly enslaved woman settled in Raleigh , North Carolina after the Civil War , described the difficulty that many experiencing emancipation for the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With limited resources , some who had once “ prayed for freedom ” went back to their former masters , unsure where else to go .
“ Slavery was a bad thing , and freedom , of the kind we got , with nothin ’ to live on , was bad , ” Mitchner told an interviewer for the WPA project .
“ Two snakes full of poison .
One lying with his head pointing north , the other with his head pointing south .
Their names was slavery and freedom.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Cudjo Lewis , the last known slave-ship survivor , described wanting to go back to Africa , but not having enough money to do so and grieving .
“ After dey free us , we so glad , we makee de drum and beat it lak in de Affica soil , ” he told Hurston .
“ We glad we free , but we cain stay wid de folks what own us no mo ’ .
Where we goin ’ live , we doan know.
” Even a woman as famous for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke of the unfamiliarity of liberation : “ I had crossed the line .
I was free ; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom .
I was a stranger in a strange land ; and my home after all , was down in Maryland ; because my father , my mother , my brothers , and sisters , and friends were there .
But I was free , and they should be free.
” “ There was some jubilation .
But if you ’ ve been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your mother was a slave , and her mother before her was a slave , and so forth and so on , all you know is slavery , ” said Gwen Ragsdale , historian and co-curator of Lest We Forget Museum of Slavery in Philadelphia , in an interview with me .
“ We were slaves on Sunday and free on Monday .
So when you were told that you were free with only the clothes on your back , freedom meant almost nothing .
Free to do what ?
Free to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know how to react , and many didn ’ t—many just stayed on the plantation that they had been enslaved on and went on being slaves .
So freedom came gradually .
It was something they had to actively keep fighting for.
” Ragsdale describes Juneteenth as a “ pivotal part of American history ” —but not because it marks a concrete line between slavery and freedom .
“ It showed how the white man was still able to keep us in bondage long after we were legally emancipated .
I think it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over us more than how the slaves accepted their freedom .
In many ways , we ’ re still grappling with that bondage today.
” 155 years later , the fight against systemic racism continues .
In the wake of injustices like the devastating cases of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , and Ahmaud Arbery , it isn ’ t clear where the holiday stands on America ’ s consciousness .
More pointedly , it isn ’ t clear where Black liberation stands in a world that still goes to blood-soaked , cruel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lengths that for generations , Black people have striven to resist , to combat , to outrun .
Each Juneteenth , I have considered who my ancestors were and might have been .
Being a Black American has complicated that narrative for me and many others .
Often , the what-ifs and how-comes of the search process make it far too emotional beyond the already-treacherous task of tracking “ slave ” records , and it ’ s more complicated than swabbing a mouth for a 23andMe kit .
More than only who they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they became free .
Though some of them may have achieved freedom upon the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation or even the 13th Amendment , the backlash of a racist society did not go away .
Similarly , Juneteenth was not a day that immediately allowed people to escape .
Confederate government officials barred Black people from leaving their white masters , while others who did escape were rounded up and forced into military service for the Union Army .
Even in Northern states , discrimination ran rampant .
In the decades that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oppressive structures like Jim Crow and convict leasing arose across the country .
Today , recognizing the experiences of the enslaved can serve as an important reminder of the experiences of Black Americans today .
“ We knowed what was goin ’ on in [ the war ] all the time , ” Felix Haywood , a former slave during the Civil War , told a WPA interviewer .
“ We all felt like heroes and nobody had made us that way but ourselves.
” Like today , Black Americans imagined what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to establish it .
Despite circumstances , they imagined Juneteenth as being more than simply an announcement .
More than a declaration , it was a day that America ’ s dishonesty unraveled .
Juneteenth represents not only an unchaining but furthermore , a testament to Black selfhood .
In reality , Black people were already free .
The Confederacy had actively kept this news away from them .
It was the self-realization of enslaved Black people that changed everything .
If America was dishonest about that , what else have they been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slaves continue to revolutionize present-day movements , much like the celebration of Juneteenth did during the Civil Rights era .
Organizers are demanding prompt changes , demanding freedom that Blacks envisioned on Juneteenth .
Communities are devoted to celebrating this year ’ s Juneteenth despite the pandemic .
In Austin , Texas , “ Stay Black and Live : A Virtual Juneteenth Celebration ” is running in collaboration with several community organizations .
Similarly , an online festival based in New York will include music , performances , and a showcase of Black-owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the event for the last 11 years , sees Juneteenth as a form of protest .
“ Juneteenth is a celebration we have coined as entertainment and fun , but also education and empowerment , ” she said in an interview .
“ Helping to create a new language and new vision in the community is important .
Rather than just showing , we have to also tell .
If we ’ re gon na win , it has to include all of those things .
How we get involved , how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change the narrative.
” An eventual six years after legal emancipation , Darling ’ s community ’ s fight for her freedom prevailed .
The mistress threatened her with one hundred lashings for not keeping the plantation ’ s cows and calves separate .
No matter how much the mistress wanted to defer Darling ’ s emancipation , freedom was imminent .
That exchange was the last they ever had .
“ I don ’ t know whether them calves was ever penned or not , ‘ cause Peter was waitin ’ for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to live with him on the Ware place.
” Darling would go on to marry and have children .
She would settle in Marshall , Texas .
“ I ’ s so happy to git away from that old devil missy , I don ’ t know what to do , and I stays there sev ’ ral years and works out here and there for money .
Then I marries and moves here and me and my man farms and nothin ’ ‘ citin ’ done happened.
” Finally , those in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just as protestors are fighting for freedom today .
Recently , I asked my mom why she felt the need to tell me that Lincoln ’ s signing the Emancipation Proclamation didn ’ t end slavery .
“ I realized a long time ago that Black history isn ’ t taught to Black children in an uplifting way , ” she said .
“ And they focus on slavery , so it makes Black children feel bad about themselves , about who they are .
And so I wanted to instill in you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to feel the way I felt when I was learning about enslavement and wanted you to get more of the truth of what happened , and how Black people fought for themselves .
” “ It wasn ’ t some white savior that swooped in and saved us , ” she continued .
“ We saved ourselves .
Because you want to instill pride.
” Darling did not achieve freedom on Juneteenth , but her life had meaning nonetheless .
The collective efforts to ensure her independence exudes itself through this year ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than her enslavement—Katie was a human .
She had the ability to realize her entitlement to freedom , albeit delayed , despite heavy circumstances .
Her humanity was not entangled in the chains or brandishes she wore ; her humanity just was .
Juneteenth reminds those who celebrate it of this humanity , of the fight to establish Granger ’ s unassuming words as a reality .
Lindsey Kiah Norward is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist and storyteller who primarily writes about history and culture in America .
She is a recent graduate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africana Studies joint master ’ s program .

Lindsey Norward on The Attic, shared by Danielle C. Belton to The Root

Legally, Katie Darling was already free on June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, under federal instruction to occupy the Confederate state. Backed by almost two thousand Union soldiers, Granger stood on a balcony in the center of town reading General Orders, No. 3: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free... this involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves...” he began.
The announcement was enormous news, but it came to Galveston a full two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation and six months after the 13th Amendment, which declared all enslaved African descendants freed, had been passed by Congress. Texas, one of the last outposts of slavery, had over 250,000 enslaved people; in addition, hundreds of thousands of others were forced to migrate there by slave owners in efforts to escape the Union Army. Some in Galveston that day fled town before Major Granger finished speaking, looking to embrace their newfound freedom immediately. Many relished the moment, cherishing the day that would eventually become known as Juneteenth. These annual celebrations, which began in 1866 and have been commemorated ever since, became an occasion freed people would treasure for generations. Juneteenth marked a monumental change in history for African-Americans; historian Elizabeth Hayes Turner explained that it offered “travelers between slavery and freedom to mark a point in their lives, a ‘red spot on the calendar’ that bonded them together as a free people, as Americans.” More than the Civil War’s end, more than the 4th of July, the day gave way to a powerful, collective memory of Black people rallying around their liberation.
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But the day wasn’t a simple break with the past, either. Others were targeted for attempting to leave upon the announcement, the former Confederate mayor threatening them for leaving their former masters. Throughout Texas, many plantation owners delayed the news or waited until a government official showed up to enforce the law. Outside the city of Marshall, Katie Darling, 16, would remain on the plantation where she was born into slavery for several more years; her white mistress refused to let her leave until some freed people in Darling’s community organized to secure her freedom. Her story, among others, raised the question for me: how long will freedom for Black people be deferred? A resilient memory in history, Juneteenth is not just a celebration of freedom, but also a reminder of the fight that continues in gaining it.
I’ll never forget the day I learned about Juneteenth. My mother was cooking dinner over the stove, smells of curry chicken wafting through the air as I told her about my school day. I was eight at the time, and my fourth-grade class had just begun to learn about slavery. My mom, as usual, had me go over the details.
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“Ms. Brown said that Abraham Lincoln signed the Emanpisation Procklapation,” I told her.
“Abraham Lincoln didn’t free the slaves,” she replied with frustration. “The Emancipation Proclamation didn’t free them either. Black people freed themselves.”
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That night, my mother would search the internet with me so I could learn more about Juneteenth, showing me pictures of celebrations and looking at recorded stories from former slaves. As I began to celebrate the holiday in the years thereafter, it was the story of Katie Darling that stuck with me the most. Darling was born into slavery in 1849, telling her story at 88 years old to interviewers as part of a WPA Federal Writers’ Project, recording oral histories from the formerly enslaved. She grew up with three brothers, Peter, Adam, and Willie; their mother died in slavery and their father escaped North. Her labor included wet-nursing and caring for the plantation owner’s children, as well as milking the cows.
“Abraham Lincoln didn’t free the slaves,” she replied with frustration. “The Emancipation Proclamation didn’t free them either. Black people freed themselves.”
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Speaking decades later, she still vividly remembered the battles of the Civil War, when Union and Confederate soldiers met at Mansfield: “Massas’s field am all tore up with cannon holes and ever’ time a cannon fire, missy go off in a rage. One time when a cannon fire, she say to me, ‘You li’l black wench, you niggers ain’t gwine be free. You’s made to work for white folks.’” When her master came back at the end of the war, he planned to abide by the order to let them go. But her mistress was determined to defer her freedom even further. Even with the order of emancipation, Darling stayed at the plantation: “Missy whip me after the war jist like she did ’fore,” she said. It was years before she would escape.
Juneteenth, also known as “Jubilee Day,” commemorates the last place that freedom reached the enslaved. Beginning in Texas, the holiday’s first celebrations involved community gatherings centered around church services, readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, and political rallies. During the early 20th century, the holiday would become more popularized and shift into what it largely is today, including street fairs, food, music, and historical reenactments. With the Great Migration especially, the celebration traveled North and across the country. Most states now observe it as a holiday or day of observance.
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More than a century and a half since its first celebration, Juneteenth stands to many as a stark example of Black people gaining jurisdiction, particularly during Reconstruction. It is a tradition passed down over the generations through families and communities, rather than being included in history curriculums; in 2019, a tweet urging followers to “Retweet if you don’t remember learning about Juneteenth in school” went viral with over 215,000 shares. As protests surrounding George Floyd’s death are enlivened across the country, the question of freedom for Black Americans is more relevant than ever.
Though American history often fixates on the idea of prompt independence, fighting for freedom after emancipation was quite common, individually and collectively. Patsy Mitchner, a formerly enslaved woman settled in Raleigh, North Carolina after the Civil War, described the difficulty that many experiencing emancipation for the first time had in establishing their new lives. With limited resources, some who had once “prayed for freedom” went back to their former masters, unsure where else to go. “Slavery was a bad thing, and freedom, of the kind we got, with nothin’ to live on, was bad,” Mitchner told an interviewer for the WPA project. “Two snakes full of poison. One lying with his head pointing north, the other with his head pointing south. Their names was slavery and freedom.” While being interviewed by Zora Neale Hurston, Cudjo Lewis, the last known slave-ship survivor, described wanting to go back to Africa, but not having enough money to do so and grieving. “After dey free us, we so glad, we makee de drum and beat it lak in de Affica soil,” he told Hurston. “We glad we free, but we cain stay wid de folks what own us no mo’. Where we goin’ live, we doan know.”
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Even a woman as famous for her courage and impetus as Harriet Tubman spoke of the unfamiliarity of liberation: “I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land; and my home after all, was down in Maryland; because my father, my mother, my brothers, and sisters, and friends were there. But I was free, and they should be free.”
“There was some jubilation. But if you’ve been a slave all your life, and your mother was a slave, and her mother before her was a slave, and so forth and so on, all you know is slavery,” said Gwen Ragsdale, historian and co-curator of Lest We Forget Museum of Slavery in Philadelphia, in an interview with me. “We were slaves on Sunday and free on Monday. So when you were told that you were free with only the clothes on your back, freedom meant almost nothing. Free to do what? Free to go where? We didn’t even know how to react, and many didn’t—many just stayed on the plantation that they had been enslaved on and went on being slaves. So freedom came gradually. It was something they had to actively keep fighting for.”
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Ragsdale describes Juneteenth as a “pivotal part of American history”—but not because it marks a concrete line between slavery and freedom. “It showed how the white man was still able to keep us in bondage long after we were legally emancipated. I think it speaks more to the hold Caucasians had over us more than how the slaves accepted their freedom. In many ways, we’re still grappling with that bondage today.” 155 years later, the fight against systemic racism continues. In the wake of injustices like the devastating cases of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, it isn’t clear where the holiday stands on America’s consciousness. More pointedly, it isn’t clear where Black liberation stands in a world that still goes to blood-soaked, cruel lengths to mask and defer it. Lengths that for generations, Black people have striven to resist, to combat, to outrun.
Each Juneteenth, I have considered who my ancestors were and might have been. Being a Black American has complicated that narrative for me and many others. Often, the what-ifs and how-comes of the search process make it far too emotional beyond the already-treacherous task of tracking “slave” records, and it’s more complicated than swabbing a mouth for a 23andMe kit. More than only who they were, I want to know when they became free.
Advertisement
Though some of them may have achieved freedom upon the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation or even the 13th Amendment, the backlash of a racist society did not go away. Similarly, Juneteenth was not a day that immediately allowed people to escape. Confederate government officials barred Black people from leaving their white masters, while others who did escape were rounded up and forced into military service for the Union Army. Even in Northern states, discrimination ran rampant. In the decades that followed the Civil War, dangerous and oppressive structures like Jim Crow and convict leasing arose across the country. Today, recognizing the experiences of the enslaved can serve as an important reminder of the experiences of Black Americans today.
“We knowed what was goin’ on in [the war] all the time,” Felix Haywood, a former slave during the Civil War, told a WPA interviewer. “We all felt like heroes and nobody had made us that way but ourselves.”
Advertisement
Like today, Black Americans imagined what they thought freedom to look like and aimed to establish it. Despite circumstances, they imagined Juneteenth as being more than simply an announcement. More than a declaration, it was a day that America’s dishonesty unraveled. Juneteenth represents not only an unchaining but furthermore, a testament to Black selfhood. In reality, Black people were already free. The Confederacy had actively kept this news away from them. It was the self-realization of enslaved Black people that changed everything. If America was dishonest about that, what else have they been dishonest about? The experiences of former slaves continue to revolutionize present-day movements, much like the celebration of Juneteenth did during the Civil Rights era. Organizers are demanding prompt changes, demanding freedom that Blacks envisioned on Juneteenth.
More than a declaration, it was a day that America’s dishonesty unraveled.
Advertisement
Communities are devoted to celebrating this year’s Juneteenth despite the pandemic. In Austin, Texas, “Stay Black and Live: A Virtual Juneteenth Celebration” is running in collaboration with several community organizations. Similarly, an online festival based in New York will include music, performances, and a showcase of Black-owned businesses. Athenia Rodgers, an organizer of the event for the last 11 years, sees Juneteenth as a form of protest. “Juneteenth is a celebration we have coined as entertainment and fun, but also education and empowerment,” she said in an interview. “Helping to create a new language and new vision in the community is important. Rather than just showing, we have to also tell. If we’re gonna win, it has to include all of those things. How we get involved, how we take a stand, how we change the narrative.”
An eventual six years after legal emancipation, Darling’s community’s fight for her freedom prevailed. The mistress threatened her with one hundred lashings for not keeping the plantation’s cows and calves separate. No matter how much the mistress wanted to defer Darling’s emancipation, freedom was imminent. That exchange was the last they ever had. “I don’t know whether them calves was ever penned or not, ‘cause Peter was waitin’ for me at the lot and takes me to live with him on the Ware place.”
Advertisement
Darling would go on to marry and have children. She would settle in Marshall, Texas.
“I’s so happy to git away from that old devil missy, I don’t know what to do, and I stays there sev’ral years and works out here and there for money. Then I marries and moves here and me and my man farms and nothin’ ‘citin’ done happened.”
Advertisement
Finally, those in her community found freedom for Darling, just as protestors are fighting for freedom today.
Recently, I asked my mom why she felt the need to tell me that Lincoln’s signing the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t end slavery. “I realized a long time ago that Black history isn’t taught to Black children in an uplifting way,” she said. “And they focus on slavery, so it makes Black children feel bad about themselves, about who they are. And so I wanted to instill in you, I didn’t want you to feel the way I felt when I was learning about enslavement and wanted you to get more of the truth of what happened, and how Black people fought for themselves. ”
Advertisement
“It wasn’t some white savior that swooped in and saved us,” she continued. “We saved ourselves. Because you want to instill pride.”
Darling did not achieve freedom on Juneteenth, but her life had meaning nonetheless. The collective efforts to ensure her independence exudes itself through this year’s celebrations of Juneteenth. Katie was more than her enslavement—Katie was a human. She had the ability to realize her entitlement to freedom, albeit delayed, despite heavy circumstances. Her humanity was not entangled in the chains or brandishes she wore; her humanity just was. Juneteenth reminds those who celebrate it of this humanity, of the fight to establish Granger’s unassuming words as a reality.
Advertisement
Lindsey Kiah Norward is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist and storyteller who primarily writes about history and culture in America. She is a recent graduate of NYU’s Global Journalism and Africana Studies joint master’s program.


theroot--2020-06-19--Democratic Senators Will Introduce Legislation to Make Juneteenth a Federal Holiday

Happy Juneteenth , everybody !
And what a special Juneteenth it is .
This year , our holiday commemorating the end of slavery is happening right in the middle of a time when the Black Lives Matter movement is receiving the most widespread attention and support , possibly , since its inception .
Now , four Democratic senators are introducing legislation that would make Juneteenth a federal holiday .
From a press release sent to The Root : Washington ( June 19 , 2020 ) – Senators Edward J. Markey ( D-Mass . )
, Tina Smith ( D-Minn. ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Kamala D. Harris ( D-Calif. ) today announced they will introduce Juneteenth National Independence Day Act , legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday .
“ Juneteenth ” , observed on June 19 , commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and is also known as “ Emancipation Day ” , “ Jubilee Day ” , and “ Juneteenth Independence Day ” .
On June 19 , 1865 , in Galveston , Texas , Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No .
3 , which announced that , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all slaves are free ” .
The legislation also calls for establishment of a Juneteenth Federal Holiday Commission to encourage appropriate ceremonies and activities throughout the United States .
Juneteenth currently is recognized by 46 states and the District of Columbia as an official state holiday or observance .
In 1980 , Texas was the first state to recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday .
This year marks the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth .
Calls to make Juneteenth a federal holiday have been gaining momentum amid nationwide protests and demonstrations sparked by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversation on systemic racism and police brutality seems larger than it has ever been .
Last Tuesday , Gov .
Ralph Northam declared Juneteenth a paid holiday for the state of Virginia and , on Wednesday , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced that he will sign an executive order to make the day a holiday for New York State employees and that he will also propose legislation to make it an official state holiday next year .
Hopefully , by this time next year , Juneteenth will be a nationally recognized federal holiday @ @ @ @ @ @

Happy Juneteenth, everybody! And what a special Juneteenth it is.
This year, our holiday commemorating the end of slavery is happening right in the middle of a time when the Black Lives Matter movement is receiving the most widespread attention and support, possibly, since its inception. Now, four Democratic senators are introducing legislation that would make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
From a press release sent to The Root:
Washington (June 19, 2020) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.). and Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) today announced they will introduce Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. “Juneteenth”, observed on June 19, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and is also known as “Emancipation Day”, “Jubilee Day”, and “Juneteenth Independence Day”. On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, which announced that, in accordance with the Emancipation Proclamation, “all slaves are free”. The legislation also calls for establishment of a Juneteenth Federal Holiday Commission to encourage appropriate ceremonies and activities throughout the United States. Juneteenth currently is recognized by 46 states and the District of Columbia as an official state holiday or observance. In 1980, Texas was the first state to recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday. This year marks the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth.
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Calls to make Juneteenth a federal holiday have been gaining momentum amid nationwide protests and demonstrations sparked by the death of George Floyd. The national conversation on systemic racism and police brutality seems larger than it has ever been.
Last Tuesday , Gov. Ralph Northam declared Juneteenth a paid holiday for the state of Virginia and, on Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that he will sign an executive order to make the day a holiday for New York State employees and that he will also propose legislation to make it an official state holiday next year.
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Hopefully, by this time next year, Juneteenth will be a nationally recognized federal holiday celebrated in all 50 states.


theroot--2020-06-19--Don't Get Bugged on Your Day out With This 2-Pack Lantern Zapper

‘ Tis the season to be zapping .
Buzz , Buzz , Buzz ... .
Well , you get the idea .
If you have an outdoor space or camp a lot bug replant is probably number one on your list each year .
Today Meh has two lantern bug zappers for $ 29 , this is 44 % less than what Amazon is charging .
They are available only until midnight .
Each lantern creates a sixteen by sixteen foot “ Bugs You Better Not ” zone .
They are waterproof and have a rechargeable battery .
The lanterns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s easy to hang and move them around for optimum coverage .
Each lantern also has a flashlight option in case you need a little extra light on your outdoor adventures .
It will take about three hours to get to a full charge but it will last up to sixteen hours if you just use the light and twelve hours if you ’ re also using the zapper .
The lanterns charge by USB and come in three different colors .
If you ’ ve read a few of our pieces on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve seen they offer a $ 5 monthly fee to get free shipping on all of your orders no matter how many .
Otherwise , it ’ s a flat rate of $ 8 .

Sheilah Villari on Kinja Deals, shared by Andrew Hayward to The Root

2 Lantern Bug Zappers | $29 | Meh
‘Tis the season to be zapping. Buzz, Buzz, Buzz.... Well, you get the idea. If you have an outdoor space or camp a lot bug replant is probably number one on your list each year . Today Meh has two lantern bug zappers for $29, this is 44% less than what Amazon is charging. They are available only until midnight.
Each lantern creates a sixteen by sixteen foot “Bugs You Better Not” zone. They are waterproof and have a rechargeable battery. The lanterns are compact and lightweight so it’s easy to hang and move them around for optimum coverage . Each lantern also has a flashlight option in case you need a little extra light on your outdoor adventures . It will take about three hours to get to a full charge but it will last up to sixteen hours if you just use the light and twelve hours if you’re also using the zapper. The lanterns charge by USB and come in three different colors.
If you’ve read a few of our pieces on Meh before and you like what you’ve seen they offer a $5 monthly fee to get free shipping on all of your orders no matter how many. Otherwise, it’s a flat rate of $8.


theroot--2020-06-19--One of the Officers Who Shot Breonna Taylor Is Being Fired...It Ain't Enough, but It's a Start

It ’ s been about three months and one week since Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by three Louisville police officers during a botched execution of a no-knock search warrant .
Now , after all the time spent by Taylor ’ s family and community activists raising awareness and demanding justice for Breonna , the mayor of Louisville announced Friday that one of those three officers is being fired .
NBC News reports that “ the chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department , Rob Schroeder , is initiating termination procedures against the officer , Brett Hankison , ” according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement that “ both the Chief and I are precluded from talking about what brought us to this moment , or even the timing of this decision ” so there aren ’ t any details available about Hankison ’ s firing or whether or not the other two officers will be getting pink slips as well .
Earlier this month , The Root reported that Hankison had been accused by two women of sexual assault .
Both women posted details of their alleged assaults on social media on the same day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been accused of repeatedly harassing , falsely arresting and planting drugs on a black man between 2016 and 2018 .
Obviously , there ’ s no indication that these things have anything to do with his firing , but they do indicate that this may have been long overdue .
Since Taylor ’ s death , Louisville has banned no-knock warrants and required that all officers wear body cameras while they are on duty .
These measures are nice and all , but they fall way short of what the Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Breonna ’ s killers to face criminal charges .
Anything less will always feel like an attempt to pacify us without doing the real work .
Of course , after the LMPD released a nearly blank incident report on her death this month , there isn ’ t much confidence that true justice for Breonna will ever be achieved .
Hopefully , the pursuit of justice doesn ’ t end with one cop being fired ... but it is a start .

It ain’t nearly enough...but it’s a start.
It’s been about three months and one week since Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by three Louisville police officers during a botched execution of a no-knock search warrant. Now, after all the time spent by Taylor’s family and community activists raising awareness and demanding justice for Breonna, the mayor of Louisville announced Friday that one of those three officers is being fired.
NBC News reports that “the chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department, Rob Schroeder, is initiating termination procedures against the officer, Brett Hankison,” according to Mayor Greg Fischer.
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Fischer said in a statement that “both the Chief and I are precluded from talking about what brought us to this moment, or even the timing of this decision” so there aren’t any details available about Hankison’s firing or whether or not the other two officers will be getting pink slips as well.
Earlier this month, The Root reported that Hankison had been accused by two women of sexual assault. Both women posted details of their alleged assaults on social media on the same day, June 4. Hankison has also been accused of repeatedly harassing, falsely arresting and planting drugs on a black man between 2016 and 2018. Obviously, there’s no indication that these things have anything to do with his firing, but they do indicate that this may have been long overdue.
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Since Taylor’s death, Louisville has banned no-knock warrants and required that all officers wear body cameras while they are on duty. These measures are nice and all, but they fall way short of what the Black Lives Matter movement demands: We want all of Breonna’s killers to face criminal charges. Anything less will always feel like an attempt to pacify us without doing the real work.
Of course, after the LMPD released a nearly blank incident report on her death this month, there isn’t much confidence that true justice for Breonna will ever be achieved.
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Hopefully, the pursuit of justice doesn’t end with one cop being fired...but it is a start.


theroot--2020-06-19--VSB Dads Share Their Father's Day Wish Lists. We Thank You In Advance

Father ’ s Day is upon us and even before COVID-19 , the sock aisles at your favorite retailers ( @ @ @ @ @ ) were probably almost bare , but now they are probably empty .
Socks and @ @ @ @ @ s Day staples near and far , to and fro .
But is that what @ @ @ @ @ really wants for Father ’ s Day ?
Does he need some new church socks @ @ @ @ @ tie to wear on that Zoom call ?
Panama Jackson , Damon Young and Michael @ @ @ @ @ suggestions on what we might actually want for Father ’ s Day !
Check it @ @ @ @ @

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Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude


theroot--2020-06-19--The Root's Clapback Mailbag: Juneteenth Edition

I want to celebrate Juneteenth by socially distancing myself from wypipo but they won ’ t let me .
So , today ’ s Clapback Mailbag is dedicated to all the white people who would have been slave masters if it wasn ’ t for e mancipation .
For Juneteenth , we have a very special “ but what about black-on-black crime ?
” letter .
Dear Mr. Harriot , I happened across your long Twitter thread addressing the arguments of white people in addressing the current situation .
I feel you are missing the mark .
Just so you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have wrangled with the vilest anti-Semitism imaginable so the sentiments of those who are targets of bigotry are not lost on me .
Let ’ s remove those individuals who are genuinely racist from the conversation .
No one cares what they think .
Let ’ s also remove ideologues , presumably from the right , who can not do anything but counter the narrative they hear .
Let ’ s also take out the white liberals who are the primary drivers of our conversations on race and tend to look more warmly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of us who we hope are of good character and would like to see racism eradicated and fewer black people killed .
If we take this as a given , it stands to reason that one would want to address all of the causes in a non-judgmental way .
You point out a lot of statistics about what a small percentage of all people are criminals , which is a red herring .
It is also a tiny percentage of people who are shot by police .
If someone is marching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which they most certainly do , what are we going to do about it ?
Fighting racism and police reform would certainly be high on the list .
But why can ’ t we acknowledge crime within communities of color ?
Except for those I mentioned earlier , most reasonable people understand that black people aren ’ t born with the propensity to commit more crimes or shoot each other .
So there must be some other reasons and I understand no one wants to talk with white people about this and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despised of all people , the black conservative .
The thing is , we failed our black communities is transitioning them out of segregation .
LBJ and others following the War on Poverty with the War on Crime didn ’ t do what was needed to be done and in fact , made things worse .
While you can ’ t snap your fingers and erase racism or homophobia or Anti-Semitism or any other form of bigotry , you also can ’ t expect things to improve in underserved communities without equal opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone of individual responsibility , the people who made these ham-handed attempts were the white people in power , so we can still point the finger .
If the situation had been reversed and white people had been on the other side , they ’ d be in the same situation .
From talking to my personal friends , I understand ( and I believe you have stated ) that the conversations about how to fix this go on in these communities constantly .
I realize this may not be something that white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor are you interested in their help in that way .
Most of us would like to but it ’ s not our business , right ?
That ’ s OK but please understand - most of us would like to help and don ’ t want to be cast as racist for recognizing a problem that has zero to do with people growing up in a difficult situation without the same opportunities as others .
Recognizing and acknowledging what goes on can be accompanied by an indictment of the system .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same as real changes that would reduce gun violence : criminal justice reform , ending the War on Drugs , increased gang intervention etc .
That ’ s what we all can work on while also trying to end racism .
Please do not assume that people speaking about black-on-black crime are racist or trying to distract .
SOME may be .
Most are not .
There is no person of good character who doesn ’ t want to see black people feel safe and that they can be proud of how their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
POC who die at the hands of racist , each other or COVID are all just as dead .
Fighting racism and all other forms of violence that prematurely end the lives of black people are not mutually exclusive and I hope you ’ ll keep an open mind when having these conversations .
I ’ m sorry I can ’ t answer your email because I am quarantining from whiteness .
If it wasn ’ t for Juneteenth , I might point out to you that you can ’ t remove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and old-school racists from the conversation and then ask me about racism .
Thankfully , it ’ s Juneteenth , so I don ’ t have to answer you .
But , until I hear a white person talk about white-on-white crime , white violence and white people doing evil shit , I ’ m going to keep talking about racism ...
If it wasn ’ t Juneteenth , I ’ d easily explain to you how you simply don ’ t understand the meaning of racism .
See , my friend , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who also want to eliminate racism just like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were people of good character who wanted to eliminate slavery ... while still being slave-owners .
Abraham Lincoln was definitely a man of good character .
He was a fine upstanding president who said : I will say then that I am not , nor ever have been , in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the black and white races — that I am not nor ever have been in favor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NOR OF QUALIFYING THEM HOLD OFFICE , nor to intermarry with white people ; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality .
And inasmuch as they can not so live , while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior , and I as much as any of her man am in favor of having the superior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gandhi was a revolutionary leader and a racist .
Police can be heroes while also being racists .
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were great men and they were cheaters .
Bill Cosby was one of the greatest comedians who ever lived and he is a rapist .
Jesus was a great prophet and a terrible winemaker ( so I ’ ve heard ) .
See , your problem is that you believe that being a racist is an all-encompassing trait that stains everything else a person does .
I , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a noun .
It is a thing that people are — like a farmer or a cowboy or a Messiah or a human being or a serial rapist .
It is up to the individual to determine whether or not someone who is that particular kind of noun deserves contempt , shame or forgiveness .
I am not OK with MLK cheating on his wife but I am willing to overlook it when I weigh it against the good he brought into the world .
Conversely , while I once enjoyed Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ juxtapose it with his actions , I can ’ t ignore that he is also a rapist .
And , because I personally believe that rape is a despicable thing , I can ’ t fuck with Bill Cosby .
Yet , white people aren ’ t disgusted by racism enough to wonder why they support blatant racists like Donald Trump , police officers or the Republican Party .
So , before we can address the causes of inequality , you and most white people have to grapple with the acceptance of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Then , you have to reconcile that with your personal beliefs .
You have to ask yourself why you bring up black- on- black crime when we talk about police brutality but never mention white- on- white crime when we discuss terrorism , child abductions , skin cancer or any of the things that disproportionately kill white people .
Why don ’ t you confront the fragility in white culture whenever anyone brings up the disproportionately high white suicide rate ?
Because it would be despicable .
Every time I mention crime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is bad , no matter who commits it .
But you want to blame black people ’ s problems on black people while absolving yourself from all personal responsibility .
That ’ s because you think racism is bad but somewhere in the deepest purest part of your soul , you are OK with it .
And then , this response came : I was wondering how I could have an authentic Juneteenth celebration .
I figured , there were no longer any white people as evil and racist as they were in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email .

I have a dilemma:
I want to celebrate Juneteenth by socially distancing myself from wypipo but they won’t let me.
So, today’s Clapback Mailbag is dedicated to all the white people who would have been slave masters if it wasn’t for e mancipation.
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For Juneteenth, we have a very special “but what about black-on-black crime?” letter.
From: Craig
To: Michael Harriot Dear Mr. Harriot, I happened across your long Twitter thread addressing the arguments of white people in addressing the current situation. I feel you are missing the mark. Just so you know, as a Jew, I have wrangled with the vilest anti-Semitism imaginable so the sentiments of those who are targets of bigotry are not lost on me. Let’s remove those individuals who are genuinely racist from the conversation. No one cares what they think. Let’s also remove ideologues, presumably from the right, who cannot do anything but counter the narrative they hear. Let’s also take out the white liberals who are the primary drivers of our conversations on race and tend to look more warmly on minorities than themselves. That leaves the rest of us who we hope are of good character and would like to see racism eradicated and fewer black people killed. If we take this as a given, it stands to reason that one would want to address all of the causes in a non-judgmental way. You point out a lot of statistics about what a small percentage of all people are criminals, which is a red herring. It is also a tiny percentage of people who are shot by police. If someone is marching in the streets because Black lives matter, which they most certainly do, what are we going to do about it? Fighting racism and police reform would certainly be high on the list. But why can’t we acknowledge crime within communities of color? Except for those I mentioned earlier, most reasonable people understand that black people aren’t born with the propensity to commit more crimes or shoot each other. So there must be some other reasons and I understand no one wants to talk with white people about this and you also hear this from that most despised of all people, the black conservative. The thing is, we failed our black communities is transitioning them out of segregation. LBJ and others following the War on Poverty with the War on Crime didn’t do what was needed to be done and in fact, made things worse. While you can’t snap your fingers and erase racism or homophobia or Anti-Semitism or any other form of bigotry, you also can’t expect things to improve in underserved communities without equal opportunity. While I don’t absolve everyone of individual responsibility, the people who made these ham-handed attempts were the white people in power, so we can still point the finger. If the situation had been reversed and white people had been on the other side, they’d be in the same situation. From talking to my personal friends, I understand (and I believe you have stated) that the conversations about how to fix this go on in these communities constantly. I realize this may not be something that white people can come in and fix, nor are you interested in their help in that way. Most of us would like to but it’s not our business, right? That’s OK but please understand - most of us would like to help and don’t want to be cast as racist for recognizing a problem that has zero to do with people growing up in a difficult situation without the same opportunities as others. Recognizing and acknowledging what goes on can be accompanied by an indictment of the system. The arguments for reform are actually largely the same as real changes that would reduce gun violence: criminal justice reform, ending the War on Drugs, increased gang intervention etc. That’s what we all can work on while also trying to end racism. Please do not assume that people speaking about black-on-black crime are racist or trying to distract. SOME may be. Most are not. There is no person of good character who doesn’t want to see black people feel safe and that they can be proud of how their fellow Americans and their country treat them. POC who die at the hands of racist, each other or COVID are all just as dead. Fighting racism and all other forms of violence that prematurely end the lives of black people are not mutually exclusive and I hope you’ll keep an open mind when having these conversations. Best regards, CB
Dear CB,
I’m sorry I can’t answer your email because I am quarantining from whiteness.
If it wasn’t for Juneteenth, I might point out to you that you can’t remove right-wing racists, liberal racists ideological racists and old-school racists from the conversation and then ask me about racism.
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Thankfully, it’s Juneteenth, so I don’t have to answer you.
But, until I hear a white person talk about white-on-white crime, white violence and white people doing evil shit, I’m going to keep talking about racism...
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Except on Juneteenth.
If it wasn’t Juneteenth, I’d easily explain to you how you simply don’t understand the meaning of racism.
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See, my friend, there are definitely racists of good character who also want to eliminate racism just like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were people of good character who wanted to eliminate slavery...while still being slave-owners. Abraham Lincoln was definitely a man of good character. He was a fine upstanding president who said:
I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the black and white races — that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making VOTERS or jurors of negroes, NOR OF QUALIFYING THEM HOLD OFFICE, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any of her man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.
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Abraham Lincoln was also a white supremacist.
Gandhi was a revolutionary leader and a racist. Police can be heroes while also being racists. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were great men and they were cheaters. Bill Cosby was one of the greatest comedians who ever lived and he is a rapist. Jesus was a great prophet and a terrible winemaker (so I’ve heard).
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See, your problem is that you believe that being a racist is an all-encompassing trait that stains everything else a person does.
I, on the other hand, think racism is a noun. It is a thing that people are — like a farmer or a cowboy or a Messiah or a human being or a serial rapist. It is up to the individual to determine whether or not someone who is that particular kind of noun deserves contempt, shame or forgiveness.
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I am not OK with MLK cheating on his wife but I am willing to overlook it when I weigh it against the good he brought into the world. Conversely, while I once enjoyed Bill Cosby’s comedy, when I juxtapose it with his actions, I can’t ignore that he is also a rapist. And, because I personally believe that rape is a despicable thing, I can’t fuck with Bill Cosby.
Yet, white people aren’t disgusted by racism enough to wonder why they support blatant racists like Donald Trump, police officers or the Republican Party.
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So, before we can address the causes of inequality, you and most white people have to grapple with the acceptance of the nuanced definition of what a racist is. Then, you have to reconcile that with your personal beliefs. You have to ask yourself why you bring up black- on- black crime when we talk about police brutality but never mention white- on- white crime when we discuss terrorism, child abductions, skin cancer or any of the things that disproportionately kill white people. Why don’t you confront the fragility in white culture whenever anyone brings up the disproportionately high white suicide rate?
Because it would be despicable.
Every time I mention crime, I am careful to say violence is bad, no matter who commits it. But you want to blame black people’s problems on black people while absolving yourself from all personal responsibility. That’s because you think racism is bad but somewhere in the deepest purest part of your soul, you are OK with it.
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Not me.
I don’t fuck with racists.
Especially on Juneteenth.
I wrote this:
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And then, this response came:
From: Bumpy
To: Michael Harriot If you’re going to keep pushing the Blak Lives Matter narrative then you have to accept the fact that people like Macie might not be criminals, but what you call white supremacy eases them down that path. So the criminal justice system and maybe even cancer may have protected us from her because living in that kind of environment made her a drug dealer then who knows what she would have done in worst circumstances.
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Dear Bumpy,
I was wondering how I could have an authentic Juneteenth celebration. I figured, there were no longer any white people as evil and racist as they were in 1865.
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And then I read your email.
Thank you.


theroot--2020-06-19--Learn All of the Languages With 53% off Lifetime Rosetta Stone Access

Quarantine is an ideal time to expand your horizons , try new things , and work on yourself .
And after a few months , if you find that you haven ’ t quite expanded , tried , or worked as much as you ’ d hoped , here ’ s an easy way to get started .
Today only , Amazon ’ s Gold Box is offering 53 % off Rosetta Stone Bonus Pack bundles across a handful of languages .
Each one—Spanish , French , Italian , German , and English—includes access to the service ’ s online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barron ’ s Dictionary and Grammar Guide .
While the bundle you choose determines which printed books you receive , it ultimately doesn ’ t limit you in any way .
That ’ s because all of the bundles include lifetime access to Rosetta Stone ’ s complete language library , which currently spans 24 languages .
Want to dabble in Arabic or Japanese later on ?
Go for it .
Make the most of this socially-distanced time .
Each bundle is $ 149 today only , marked down from $ 319 .

Andrew Hayward on Kinja Deals, shared by Andrew Hayward to The Root

Rosetta Stone Bonus Pack Bundle (Spanish) | $149 | Amazon
Quarantine is an ideal time to expand your horizons, try new things, and work on yourself. And after a few months, if you find that you haven’t quite expanded, tried, or worked as much as you’d hoped, here’s an easy way to get started.
Today only, Amazon’s Gold Box is offering 53% off Rosetta Stone Bonus Pack bundles across a handful of languages. Each one—Spanish, French, Italian, German, and English—includes access to the service’s online language-learning software, as well as a Barron’s Dictionary and Grammar Guide.
While the bundle you choose determines which printed books you receive, it ultimately doesn’t limit you in any way. That’s because all of the bundles include lifetime access to Rosetta Stone’s complete language library, which currently spans 24 languages. Want to dabble in Arabic or Japanese later on? Go for it. Make the most of this socially-distanced time.
Each bundle is $149 today only, marked down from $319.
This deal was originally published by Andrew Hayward in June 2020 and updated by Quentyn Kennemer with new information on 10/20/2020.


theroot--2020-06-19--Auntie Unfiltered: AmeriKKKa Gaslights Black People

Seriously , though .
Now that America is having her racial awakening and realizing just how inherently racist she really @ @ @ @ @ and celebrities and everyone else jumping on the # BlackLivesMatter bandwagon .
Should these moves @ @ @ @ @ simply superficial gestures so “ the b lacks ” will shut the fuck up ?
@ @ @ @ @ As always , I want to hear from you .
If you have a question @ @ @ @ @ , or if you have a topic you think I should discuss , please hit @ @ @ @ @ theroot.com .