Irie Inspiration

By Terri Austin. Read article full @Bet.com

The words, “liberty and justice for all,” have been recited by school children across America since they were written by Francis Bellamy in 1892. But for many children of color, these words simply do not ring true.

As we celebrate Juneteenth in many states across the country, we need to determine how to make these words apply to everyone in the United States, regardless of race, color or national origin. On June 19, 1865, the Union Army finally announced Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freeing the remaining slaves in Texas. Lincoln’s proclamation was actually issued on September 22, 1862, but it took nearly three years for the news to reach Texas.