Connecting the Dots: Emancipation, Resistance, and the Unfinished Business of Freedom
Introduction: This Isn’t Just History. It’s a Warning.
The arc of Black liberation doesn’t run in a straight line—it loops, bends, and bleeds. From May to July, we cross a battlefield of anniversaries—Haitian Flag Day, Malcolm X’s centennial, Florida’s Emancipation Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, and the 13th Amendment. These are not feel-good moments for social media clout. They are radical reminders: freedom is fragile, incomplete, and always under attack.
As Florida and the broader U.S. roll back civil rights, criminalize truth-telling, and target marginalized communities under the guise of “patriotism,” we’re called to connect the dots between then and now. This isn’t a drill—it’s déjà vu.
The Dates That Define Us—And Demand Us
May 18: Haitian Flag Day
Born from the ashes of colonialism in 1803, Haiti’s flag was stitched together as a declaration of war against white supremacy. They didn’t just dream of freedom—they took it, and paid in blood. Haiti reminds us that true liberation doesn’t come from paperwork—it comes from revolution.
May 19: Malcolm X Turns 100
Malcolm X saw through the lies of American exceptionalism. He knew that racism was global, structural, and moral rot at the center of the empire. His vision was uncompromising, and his centennial should challenge us to reject watered-down justice. Are we brave enough to speak like Malcolm? Organize like Malcolm?
May 20: Florida Emancipation Day & Toussaint Louverture’s Birthday
In Florida, emancipation came late—May 20, 1865—and it still feels delayed. Meanwhile, Louverture, born May 20, 1743, laid the blueprint for global Black revolt. His legacy reminds us: freedom is not inevitable. It's strategic. It's fought for.
June 19: Juneteenth
Juneteenth wasn’t a celebration—it was a reckoning. Two and a half years after emancipation was declared, Texas finally acknowledged it. Juneteenth shows us that white power will delay, distort, and deny justice unless forced to do otherwise.
July 4: Independence for Whom?
1776 declared “all men are created equal,” while Black bodies were chained to the foundation of the nation. Independence Day is a contradiction. Until Black lives are truly free, the Fourth of July is unfinished business.
December 6: The 13th Amendment
Slavery was abolished—except as punishment for a crime. That loophole became mass incarceration. The prison-industrial complex is slavery in a new outfit. Let’s stop pretending otherwise.
Our History is a Mirror
These anniversaries don’t just tell us where we’ve been—they show us how much further we must go. They expose a nation built on selective freedom, weaponized law, and racial control. Today’s attacks on DEI, voting rights, public education, and reproductive freedom are not new—they are part of the same playbook that delayed Juneteenth and turned emancipation into loopholes.
Call to Action: Pick Up the Torch
This isn’t about nostalgia. This is about power. Here’s what you can do:
- Tell the Truth: Teach the real history. Say the hard things. Refuse whitewashed versions of freedom.
- Join Local Movements: Find a group doing the work. Volunteer, show up, donate. Be the disruption.
- Hold the Line: Demand justice from your school board to the Senate. They work for you—make them prove it.
- Create Spaces for Real Talk: Host an Awkward Dinner or Unity360 Dialogue. Change happens face to face, not just in hashtags.
Closing: Freedom Is Not a Memory—It’s a Mandate
We stand on the shoulders of revolutionaries who bled, organized, and rose up for a freedom they couldn’t always taste. It’s our turn now. Don’t just commemorate—agitate. Don’t just learn—act. Because the dots aren’t just connected—they’re calling us forward.
“Freedom is never granted; it is won. Justice is never given; it is exacted.” — A. Philip Randolph
Let’s rise, South Florida. And let’s mean it.