On Juneteenth…  It’s the Economy Stupid!

When I brought the first Juneteenth festival to Utica almost 30 years ago in 1996, many people of all races were unaware of the importance of the date. 

Prior to Juneteenth, Utica had “Soul Day” as an annual celebration in the park.  “Soul Day” was held on some established day in August, and was a time for Black families to celebrate.  At one time there was “Colored Day” at Sylvan Beach. There was also “Family Day” at Proctor Park. But until there was Juneteenth, with its wonderfully made up Black name, there was nothing that officially recognized us… Black people… as a part of this great county and celebrated our being part of it.

It was so great to finally have an authentic Black holiday based upon such an important event, the freeing of the final enslaved people of this land knowing that this did not happen with a simple proclamation. 

Now that Juneteenth is a national holiday, we have the icing on a great big red, white and blue American cake.

But what are we celebrating? The release of bondage from the last few enslaved Black and Native people? I don’t think so.

And yes, there were enslaved Native people as well. My great, great, great grandfather was Muskogee Creek Indian, wedded to a mixed Black woman. They were enslaved to the president of Emery College and his wife in Atlanta, Georgia.

Juneteenth is more the recognition that these non-Europeans might be at last recognized as full Americans and able to participate in the robust economy in which they were a driving force. Because prior to that, their economy had been stolen.

America’s capitalist manipulation of Native and Black people as slaves finally ended in 1865 in Galveston, Texas, almost two full years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Thus Juneteenth was born

Slavery ended in New York State in 1827 however, ending slavery did not end racism in the state of New York. What it did was establish institutional racism in this state by way of systemic economic exclusion and social marginalization. This systemic exclusion has been so effective for so long that it has become a comfortable and automatic feature of American culture. This is the systemic exclusion and domination of Black enterprise in the economy.

Economic exclusion has been the most effective means of repressing advancement of Blacks in America from the very beginning. Slavery was the beginning of this economic exclusion.  That and America’s uniquely brutal version of apartheid served to prevent progress, economic advancement and stability in Black America.

And Black Americans remain in a greatly diminished socioeconomic circumstance through these structural inequities. These inequalities stem from past discriminatory practices and the generational trauma and stagnation this exclusion has caused. 

Sadly, the condition persists.

At the time of the development of the major industries in America, Black people were either enslaved or barred from competing in the economy. We’re talking about lumber, railroads, oil and gas, transportation, entertainment, cinema, construction, farming, manufacturing and textiles. What if Blacks had shared in the bounty of the value of the cotton textiles so important to this city? Remember, New York City was second only to Charleston, South Carolina as a slave port and the cotton trade to Europe. 

These industries have flourished as the multi-national corporations that prevail today. There are also flourishing industries today which were unimaginable at that time. These new industries also carry the same racially discriminatory practices limiting Black access and advancement.

I just recently learned that in America it was actually illegal for a White person to draw a contract with a Black person. Prior to Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 there was no legal method of transfer of property or contract with a Black person. Some of these covenants persisted well into the 20th century.

Here is an example of how common and accepted these institutional racist practices have been.

They existed as recently as the mid-sixties when my husband Steve Lockwood was a law student.  He was tasked with researching real estate titles in Oneida County. During his research, Steve came upon numerous deeds with clauses prohibiting the sale of property to ‘non-Caucasians.’ 

Steve brought this disturbing find to his boss, who sent it on the Louie Lefkowitz, New York Attorney General, at that time. Lefkowitz drew a complaint to strike the racial clause from all deeds in the state of New York. Owning your own home is the first step in the American dream. Step two is the possibility of generational wealth, or the ability to pass that home and other resources down to future generations. 

The New York State Supreme Court found the covenants to be illegal and ordered them stricken from deeds. Steve asked and was granted permission, to his great satisfaction, to serve said homeowners with the summons and complaints that had been drafted by and prepared by the Attorney General. This resulted in Blacks no longer being excluded from neighborhoods due to these racially restrictive covenants. And yes, our futures were changed. And Yes, we need White allies to help us on the way.

And for those of you who don’t know, I met my husband in the next decade, 1972, when I was a student at Kirkland College. I hired him to defend me after I was beat up by a cop in Clinton, New York for driving while being Black. 

But of course, that decision by the state Supreme Court in the 60’s did not end Blacks’ restrictions from home ownership.

Economic exclusion lashed back, as ‘redlining’ by banks and insurance companies emerged as another level of institutional racism. This prevented Black Americans from obtaining mortgages and insurance for properties in their chosen neighborhoods. And keep in mind, for any real estate closing, banks have attorneys present and sanctioned these practices.

The Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 was designed to require banks and insurance companies to do business in these marginalized communities. These institutions and corporations did not rush to comply. Other than the Bank of Utica, which has been a staunch ally, other downtown banks, like Adirondack and M&T require more convincing to take part in including Black businesses in their advertising.

I have found insurance companies difficult to remind of their obligations.

Economic exclusion equals institutional racism. Always remember that. Economic exclusion of a race of people equals institutional racism. 

As a socioeconomic engineer and political activist, my Black femaleness makes me hyper aware of how the White male patriarchy operates.

In 2018 it was reported that US companies raised more than 130 billion dollars in venture capital yet only 2.2% went to women owned companies. Of that 2.2% Black female entrepreneurs garnered less than 1% of those funds. 

Certain organizations have stood up to alter inequities like this.  Most recently I have learned of the Fearless Foundation, a Black female 501c3, which awards $20,000 grants to businesses owned by Black women through its Strivers Grant Contest and their Fearless Fund. But of course, there has been racist backlash. 

 A lawsuit brought by the White male led American Alliance for Equal Rights against The Fearless Foundation shut down its Strivers Grant Contest. The group claimed that the contest violated section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866. This is the very law that was established to protect Black businesses at the end of the Civil War nearly the same time that Juneteenth was established.

Tragically, this is far from the only incident of this kind. 

There is an insidious move afoot to reduce, remove and further restrict Black enterprise in our country. Consider last year’s Supreme Court’s striking down Affirmative Action. This latest warped interpretation of a civil rights statute could wreak havoc on charitable efforts to support racial justice and have a chilling effect on philanthropic funding nationwide as Blacks linger in a ‘less than’ state.

But as horrific as this is, all of this intentional interference in the advancement of Black Americans in our own country doesn’t approach the level of destruction in Greenwood, Oklahoma and the slaughter and devastation that occurred on Black Wall Street in 1921. The assault and devastation was unprecedented with over 300 killed and more than 800 injured by the corporate and government sanctioned intent. 

And this is far from a thing of the past. 

Just this month The Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit of the last two survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre for racial justice for one of the worst single acts of violence against Black people in U.S. history. These were corporate and government perpetrators, insurance companies and law enforcement, who have never been held accountable. And Tulsa is not the only American city carrying the disgrace of White mob massacre of Blacks that has gone unaccounted for.

Let us never forget that lynching occurred well into the twentieth century. And when we turn from direct threats and incidences of violence back to legal and cultural practices, let us never forget that Black Americans are incarcerated at a much higher rate than Americans of other racial and ethnic backgrounds, even when both groups commit the exact same crimes. 

Consider that Blacks continue to face significant disparities in healthcare outcomes, suffer the worst overall results from medical treatment, the deadliest results in childbirth and infant mortality and sadly, Blacks lead the race to the grave. 

Yet our main source of healthcare locally MVHS, refuses to spend any money directing healthcare messaging to Utica’s under-served community for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, cancer or even well baby visits through advertising directly to this population.  These are all diseases known to inflict Blacks disproportionately but there again MVHS doesn’t spend a dime advertising with Phoenix Media, the only Black media outlet between Rochester and New York City in Upstate NY.

This first Juneteenth 2024 Talent-thon provides an opportunity for individuals and corporations to financially address, even correct, this ongoing injustice by funding the very programs and agencies deemed vital by the Black community itself on an annual basis.

Some may point to existing DEI or Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs. But these do not truly honor or serve Black Americans. DEI or Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs are constructs of corporations where Blacks must fit the mold determined by a White corporate framework in order to access monies set aside to address racial disparities. 

Equality does not work that way. No group of people should be required to fit the mold set by another group of people. White Americans are not required to do this. Black Americans and Native Americans should not be required to do this either. And funds from this program will ensure that they do not. 

Monies from this Talent-thon will enable this Black not for profit, and others, to sustain the programs which it has struggled, sacrificed and suffered to establish for a self-determined path to success because economic inclusion is where true equity occurs.

Today we celebrate America’s freedom from Slavery in an effective way.

Rather than parades and picnics and parties, which do nothing much to advance the cause for equity, this event raises needed funds. It further calls on local corporations, The Matt Brewing Company, Utica Coffee, Utica National and Gilroy Kernan and Gilroy and others, to be intentionally inclusive in contracts, in advertising, in hiring, sponsorships and donations. 

Mega corporations like Wolfspeed and Micron have come into our region for the bountiful water, clean air, ample sources of power stable environment and infrastructure and the population at than to build out their new industries. They should be a part of correcting the unjust and ever so common economic exclusion and social marginalization as part of their workforce development.

Institutional racism has become so woven into the fabric of our culture we don’t even see it anymore. For instance, where are the Black aides and staffers of our elected officials? 

This first Juneteenth Talent-thon shall not be the last. As entertainment was the first industry Black people were allowed to participate in and benefit from, we shall never disappoint, as our gathered artists and performers will soon demonstrate, ’we got you’ and at that, for years to come.  

What we need are your generous donations and allyship in which to build a better America for all. Remember,’ it’s the economy stupid’, and we want in.

For more information on this and other programs hosted by For the Good, Inc, please visit us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/FortheGoodInc