Why Is Bush Ignoring the History of Slavery? What You Said About His 'Family Secret'
By Jennifer Millman
February 21, 2008
President Bush has hosted Cinco de Mayo events at the White House and addressed audiences at several Jewish Holocaust observances and programs, but he has consistently refused to personally participate in any Juneteenth celebrations, which honor the day (June 19, 1865) the last slaves in America earned freedom, in Washington, D.C.
Why? Maybe it's because his family owned slaves--about 30 of them 175 years ago. True, these were his ancestors, not Bush himself, but how much of the family's political and economic success can be attributed to those early days? Read Slavery Ties: Bush's Long-Held Family Secret to find out all about it.
The Rev. Ronald V. Myers Sr., founder and chair of the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council, is appalled. Bush hasn't even acknowledged the invitations to participate in Washington, D.C.'s annual Juneteenth National Holiday Observance, much less have a spokesperson give an excuse. Read the invitation here.
Click the audio icon to hear Myers talk about his frustration and why this issue is so important.
Read about the National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign and find out from the White Guy how slavery still benefits white people today.
Is It Fair to Bring Up Slavery Ties Years Later? What You Said
Is it fair to bring up family connections to slave owners so many years later? Tell us what you think if you haven't already. DiversityInc readers are starkly divided on the issue, with many thanking us for bringing attention to this issue and others daring us to print their caustic responses.
We do so below.
If you want to know why it's important that we still pay attention to slavery, read what the White Guy says white people need to know about reparations.
Despite thousands of petitions from Myers' and other organizations and being urged by Congress for years to issue a presidential proclamation recognizing Juneteenth Independence Day, Bush has remained mum on the issue. "It's not party politics," says Myers, who notes that even former Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., introduced a joint resolution recognizing June 19 as "Juneteenth Independence Day in America" in 1997.
Both the House and the Senate passed unanimous resolutions, most recently in 2007, to no avail. Bush, who governed the state of Texas where Juneteenth has been observed as a paid holiday since 1980, submits a presidential message each year commemorating the day but refuses to participate in any related activities.
Why is this important to the country? "The fourth of July is a time to remember freedom for the country, but Americans of African descent weren't free on the fourth of July," says Myers. "It wasn't until that day on June 19, 1865, when the announcement was made that slaves were free in the last vestige of slavery in the United States' southwest region."
"It's the fourth of July and the nineteenth of June that complete the cycle of independence day celebrations in America," he adds. "We share the common bond of freedom. We may have gotten there [from] different routes, but we all share the common bond of freedom--and both days are important and need to be recognized."
To date, 26 states and the District of Columbia recognize Juneteenth as a state or district holiday or observance, and at least seven other states honor the day with gubernatorial proclamations or legislative resolutions. Legislators in four states--Virginia, Alabama, Maryland and North Carolina--have issued formal apologies for their role in the slave trade, and New Jersey may soon become the first northern state to do the same. Even Virginia Rep. Frank Hargove, who said in early 2007 that Blacks should "get over" slavery, is now advocating celebration of Juneteenth.
"The country needs healing from the legacy of slavery," says Myers. "It's part of the country's history and the legacy of freedom. It's part of what America is."
Here's what you said about bringing up ancestral ties to slavery:
Nobody can help that their ancestors four generations back happened to own slaves. A lot of people in the southern states may have such a background but are innocent. Also, how about looking into, oh, I don't know ... maybe John Edwards' past? Can you tell me that nobody in his family ever owned slaves?
Should any Black people in the U.S. express their guilt over the fact that some of their ancestors might have owned slaves in Africa? Slavery isn't always a racial issue, as Black has "owned" Blacks [sic]. And why should the U.S. always feel so bad, when even TIME has shown that they actually made up but a fraction of the total slave trade around the world at the time? The Dutch and other European nations were a lot worse.
--Ulf Backstrom
Absoluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuutely. Wealth is wealth, and our government does not tax it enough.
--Jim Ryan
You are so lame to even ask. I was thinking of a lengthy dissertation challenging this subject--but then I realized that I would only be falling into your trap of thinking that THIS REALLY MATTERS. I would hate to be judged by the actions of ANYONE BUT ME. And SO WOULD YOU. Get a life. And stop trying to hide your politics under the guise of your job. You exemplify how "freedom of speech" has been so abused by journalists. Print that. Probably not … politically motivated journalists usually aren't interested in the truth.
--Mike Waalkes
I am very happy that information is coming out. I think that it is long overdue. It is never too late to tell the truth. We all know that the Bush family is not the only family that were slave owners … slaves made them very rich men and that has been passed on to future generations. I feel that it is about time that the truth be told. I think when that truth is told and made a part of our history books, Black and white people can begin to discuss the sad part of our history in an open and honest way that might bring us together as American people.
--Theodore Thomas
How long do we have to keep talking about who did what and what is it that is so important that this time to talk about President Bush's family as slave owners [sic]? Does this do anything for the current world? We need to stop dividing the country and stop preaching Republicans are evil and Democrats are good.
--Alethea McFarlane
It is not fair to bring up what his forefathers did so many years ago. It has no effect on today's society. He may not even know. How many Americans know today what their ancestors did so many years ago? I don't. Why speak about a subject that is not unique to America? Slavery was not invented by America. All races at one time or another have been enslaved. Slavery has been an ugly fact of world history, not just America's history.
--Chris Camacho
If you can determine how present-day wealth is connected to the past exploitation of un-free labor, go for it, I say. --Patrick Case
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