Outside Syracuse’s historic City Hall, an Afro beat echoed. One of the drummers, a two-year old girl, easily picked up the rhythm as she padded her tiny palms on a shared bongo drum.
She was among dozens of community members gathered on a sunny day to watch the hoisting of the symbolic red, black and green flag high overhead for the annual kickoff of Juneteenth in Syracuse.
The flag became part of the Pan-Afro culture of America at its first introduction in 1920 during a Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) conference in New York City.
“These are liberation colors,” Syracuse University Professor Emeritus Roosevelt “Rick” Wright, Jr. explained what the significance of each color means to him, “the red represents our blood, the black represents our culture, and the green is the green light for freedom.”
By the mid 60’s, he explained, “we were still in a segregated society in our country.” At 81 today, Wright would have been in his early 20’s just beginning to protest apartheid in the U.S.
For many African Americans, the flag increasingly became a united symbol to prepare, “It technically got our country sociologically ready,” he recalled the mood of the times as President Lydon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act on June 2, 1964.
Sixty years later, the flag is a celebration of what’s to come this weekend in downtown Syracuse, “Clinton Square will be rocking all weekend,” he promised, with gospel music beginning the celebration Friday evening. “There’s a parade… vendors and programs and bands, and a big R & B act called ZAPP from Ohio,” was scheduled as the big gala act Saturday night.
On Wednesday, June 19th, the nation celebrates the official end of slavery with the Federally recognized holiday.
Here in Onondaga County, Legislator Nodesia Hernandez looked beyond across the courtyard where the flag flew over the tiny drummer’s turned up head. She is filled with pride for what the flag represents for her ancestors and generations ahead.
“We see our independence right now. We see our freedom right now,” she compared the moment to the nation’s upcoming celebration, “We know we celebrate July 4th, but right now, this is our Independence. This allows us to know that we are free, and we are not slaves anymore and we have equity in this country.”
To join in the ongoing celebrations spanning the weekend, click here.
