" REFLECTIONS"

Wow! America, is 235 years old, since they gained their independence from Great Britain in 1776.America has always set precedence, on inventions , laws and technology. However America had a skeleton in her closet, and it was “Slavery”. After Indentured Servants,(young laborers hired for a short period of time in exchange for food, shelter and other necessities) were no longer needed economically, America, followed the footsteps of the Europeans and made Slavery into an “Institution”. African Slaves lost their families, language culture and lives because of Slavery.The only other race of people besides, the African, that may have received an equal if not greater “injustice” were the American Indians. Slavery ended in America, on January 1,1863 (150 years ago), the day the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln went into effect. Texas did not get the news until June 19, 1865(June 19th,(Junteenth). Black America did not “legally” gain it’s Independence from the “Institution of Bondage until the, "Civil Rights Act of 1964," signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson; it was introduced by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 before his untimely death. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 gave us the right to Vote, the opportunity to send our children to any public school of our choice, or to sit inside of a McDonald’s to be served. Just think, 50 years ago we could not eat at lunch counters at a local deli shop, we had to use “Black Only Restrooms,” drink out of "Colored Only Water Fountains," and sit on the "Back of the Bus." Even our Black Professional Athletes could not stay at the Fine Hotels, instead they were sent to “Hole in the Wall Dives.” Today, we celebrate our President, Barack Obama, the 44th President and nations 1st African American in this office. We have not overcame yet but we have come a long way. Yes, America is the land of opportunity for all races but we can not forget, Dr.Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and on the local scene, Charismatic Leaders,like Eldrewey Stearns, and countless others who have paved the way, so we may exercise those Freedoms that were mentioned in the Constitution of the United States of America. Let us take this holiday to reflect and recommitt ourselves to God, country and our families. Materialism is helping destroy the Black Family, perhaps we need to go back to the basics of the activities that took place at Grandma’s House. "Back in the Day," we were ruled by “Love” when in the Black Family no one would let another family member be homeless or hungry. We have put our Faith and in the “Dollar Bill “ which is losing its value, no matter what country or currency. When we bring God back in our homes and back to our dinner tables, “Mountains” will move again, like they did in the 1960‘s


R.I.P Billy Servance 01/23/1937 - 07/05/2002