A Teaneck Voices Edited Interview with Theodora Smiley Lacey
About Juneteenth
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Mrs. Lacey, thank you for meeting with me. Many of us are just learning about Juneteenth. What is the significance of this holiday?
Mrs. Lacey: I think it is most significant that we are addressing Juneteenth here in Teaneck where we do many things that are meaningful to the lives and cultures of people in our town. It is important since this year Juneteenth seems to have achieved much more clarity due to the situation we find ourselves in, the rise of racial injustice, police brutality and the killing of people of color. All these realities have helped us to see how long these injustices have been going on, and how they still impact our lives.
Juneteenth, of course, is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. It was in 1865 that the enslaved people in Galveston Texas finally received the news that enslaved people had been freed. The commemoration of that event is sometimes called Emancipation Day or Independence Day, even though in the United States we celebrate July 4th as Independence Day. Sadly, that Independence Day, people of color – African-Americans were still property and not considered full persons. Juneteenth gives a kind of freedom for everyone. It happened at a time when the Confederacy surrendered, and a Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and announced that slavery had ended – even though it took two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation for the Major General and the news of freedom to reach the state of Texas.
There are many stories as to why it took so long. Some say that the information was sent to the border states where it triggered vigilante uprisings. Others say that perhaps the plantation owners knew about it but needed slave labor to continue to reach their economic goals. And, of course, there were no telephones, rapid mail service, never mind faxes and cell phones. Communication was difficult.
Who knows why it took so long for the people who were enslaved to hear the news. But it did take well over two years. And because of that, because it took this time for the people who were enslaved to hear they had been liberated, there was a great burst of jubilation. Since that wonderful day, Juneteenth has been characterized as jubilation – a celebration of being free. Of course, it carried the burden of African-Americans not really being economically free. Freedom without the ability or opportunity to sustain yourself and those you hold dear, is no freedom at all, and that was the reality the freed slaves had to contend with. Reconstruction came along and confused people. Then “Jim Crow.” African-Americans began to feel and face the reality of going backward.
Why was Juneteenth “forgotten” for so long?
Mrs. Lacey: Of course, the struggle of the civil rights era certainly put a damper on the Juneteenth celebration. At the March on Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about being able to fully participate in a life of Freedom. It is so interesting that African Americans consider themselves as Americans -- so that even though we African-Americans celebrate the July 4th Independence Day, we are celebrating a freedom without our having full rights. I believe that after the March, there was a different kind of effort to get people to look at what freedom means – that it is not just a proclaiming of emancipation but providing an opportunity to be a part of the functioning and everything related to living in America. Though we have come a long way, we still have a great deal more to do against efforts being made today to disenfranchise us from the vote and turn us back.
Is Juneteenth a national holiday?
Mrs, Lacey: It is important to recognize that though Juneteenth, which was declared to be June nineteenth, is not a national holiday. Forty-eight states do celebrate Juneteenth. The Dakotas – both North and South and perhaps Hawaii have not yet joined the rest, though I understand that there are resolutions for recognition that may be forthcoming in Hawaii.
So, it is a struggle, and I am very pleased to say that among the 48 is the State of New Jersey. Our NJ Lieutenant Governor, Sheila Oliver, proposed a resolution to declare Juneteenth a holiday and Governor Murphy endorsed it and, I believe, that the third Friday of every June is Juneteenth Day in New Jersey.
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How do we celebrate Juneteenth?
Mrs. Lacey: For over ten years, here in Bergen County, the Martin Luther King Birthday Committee helped celebrate Juneteenth in Overpeck Park. Unfortunately, last year, because of restrictions during the Pandemic, we could not hold it in the Park. However, the Birthday Committee did establish an on-line Juneteenth celebration that can be viewed all day on June 19th 2021. We hope people will listen in for that.
A group of dedicated citizens in Englewood, “Jabari,” for several years have celebrated Juneteenth with parades and fun activities, using proceeds to support students in Englewood schools. The Martin Luther King Committee celebration in Overpeck Park was a celebration informing people of some history, some awareness of current events including conditions of poverty, at the same time being joyous about the ending of slavery [with food, crafts booths and performances].
We have really come a long way. Many big business companies are now addressing Juneteenth - companies like Target and NIKE.
There are a number of organizations we could mention - like the NFL - attempting to do something to recognize that the Galveston event was truly the end of slavery in this country, not just the freeing of slaves but the freeing of everyone. Juneteenth, the recognition of freedom for all, says that everyone is capable of being enlightened and accepting.
Should we be teaching about Juneteenth in our schools?
When we think of the importance of Juneteenth, we should recognize the necessity of our schools addressing it. It is truly a part of our American history and should be taught as a part of American history.
We have tried to infuse African-American studies into our curricula, which was most important. But truly African-American studies should be part of American studies because we, and our children, must learn the good and bad. We have to look at it and accept it. I think that when we learn our full American History -African-American embedded in what is now taught, we all will become more accepting and understanding, and have tools to move to the next step.
I do recall that when I was teaching, some of my colleagues would sometimes bring me articles about African-Americans to put up in my room. And, of course, I was appreciative. But the real true path to change would be for them to have put it up in their rooms.
So, that is what I think about Juneteenth. It is an open celebration of saying that America finally has come to the conclusion that all men should be treated equally and should have equal rights. It is a celebration that many people could engage in.
We need to infuse our literature with the kinds of books and films and articles that talk about the struggle as well as the achievements, not isolated but as a part of who we all are as Americans.
So, I would encourage our schools to not isolate our African-American history but to make it part of American history.
You have probably been reading or seeing about the Tulsa Oklahoma massacre. It is not newly discovered – not new at all. We have known about it in the African-American community forever. But it is just now becoming known because the true events were not communicated. I do not believe that right minded, objective people, regardless of their color, would condone that kind of behavior. So what is most important is knowing about it, learning about it, and not having it happen again. Schools need to increase their libraries with stories about the struggle in our country and locally – in our county, cities and towns, and encourage our young people to go to exhibits that display African-American arts and struggles. We must encourage our neighbors to engage in businesses that give support to businesses of color.
It is the unknown that perpetuates bigotry. It is hard to really hate somebody who you have had an opportunity to know. You may disagree but you will respect each other and your conclusions will be based on issues, not the color of your skin, your religion or your gender.
Let us all be joyous and well informed as we celebrate Juneteenth. “Freedom for all.”
Thank you Mrs. Lacey.
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Teaneck's "Slave and Indian" Burial Ground
By Angela Lena Taylor
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“Truth crushed to earth, shall rise again.”William Cullen Bryant
When it comes to the History of Africans in the Americas, the greatest injustices have been the “forgotten”. Be it by willful omission or negligent removal, truth has been “crushed to earth”; it is my premise that until the truth rises up, the transformation necessary for reconciliation of our Nation and our Township, is only a notion.
In Teaneck, the “Slave and Indian” Burial Ground was all but forgotten until about 2006. Being a lifelong History teacher, Curriculum writer, County Board member and Amistad Scholar, which in accordance with the Amistad Legislation, set out to infuse African Americans into the study of United States History…and I didn’t know anything about the “Slave and Indian” Burial Ground.
In an article found in the Suburbanite, I took notice of the names of Activists I was familiar with: Reverend Hubert Daughtry, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Dr. Rosalind Jeffries, and Theodora Smiley Lacey; my curiosity was sparked.
While attending a Mother’s Day event, former Mayor Lizette Parker introduced me to DeeAnn Ipp; this was a seemingly non-eventful meeting until she said that she was living on Pomander walk (location of the Burial Ground) since 1960.
This one conversation led to a camaraderie that would impact the History of our Township. Protecting the integrity of the Ancestors prompted by the community outcry, DeeAnn was there for the raising of funds and the promotion of the Easement needed (Legislation put forth by Sen. Loretta Weinberg). Dee Ann had been a part of the efforts to collect the research including audio taped confirmation of the “Cemetary” which had been erased from maps after 1960 …I felt like I had been included into a real life mystery series and the outcome held the memories of our ancestors; we had to keep digging.
Part of the story led us to the home of the late Dr. Jules Ladenheim (neurosurgeon HUMC) who credited his wife Janet with the foresight to keep the now Historic “Slave House”
(Zabriskie-Kipp-Cadmus House) intact. Dr. Ladenheim was gracious enough to allow me to interview him and assemble a video team (Rashon Briggs and Elizabeth Johnson) to document never recorded interior evidence of enslavement in Teaneck, which I promptly included into the Teaneck Public Schools’ History curriculum.
Critical accounts revealed that w hen the Ladenheim family first moved into the house they found shackles attached to the wall and a tethering bar (used for human captivity) along with exposed WestAfrican stone work- this provided architectural history where documents were lacking- this placed the enslaved at the site during the building stage(1751). Enslaved Africans built this town!
Further research was conducted by former Assemblyman Arnold Brown to determine some of the names of the enslaved laid to rest in the “Slave and Indian” Burial Ground. The mindset of the Europeans of early Teaneck was that even in death there needed to be separation and the Burial Ground became one of many sites where enslaved Africans were buried on Native American Hallowed ground. Enslaved labor traced back to the Zabriskie legacy-thanks to the efforts of Janet Strom, Arnold’s research was digitized and made available at 1 Bergen.
The next order of business for DeeAnn and I would be to get Council approval for official signage and placement (Town Manager William Broughton) for the Burial Ground. Contributions to the wordage included Arnold Brown, members of the Eugene Coleman lead Teaneck Historic Society and I scribed a short poem… (“May the Native Americans and enslaved Africans laid here to rest, find continued peace in this Sacred ground. May the timeless presence of the river and sky guide the weary souls in passage from this realm to the next.”(as written by me in its original form). Remembering to honor those who came before is an extension of our very being.
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” – Elie Wiesel
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Lost and Fortified to Find: A Teaneck Voices Conversation with Dr. Marisa M. King | |
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Managing uncertainty and the social angst of our fiercely divided communities is one of the greatest challenges educators face today. In Teaneck, the schools have recently committed their curriculum to establishing emotional, as well as intellectual, anchors. Enter identity studies. Teaneck Voices had the pleasure of speaking recently with Dr. Marisa M. King, the K-12 curriculum supervisor for social studies, business, and practical arts in the Teaneck public school district.
“All students need to see themselves in the curriculum,” she asserts. And that includes Latinx, indigenous people, and those of the Asian diaspora, as well as peoples whose histories New Jersey public schools are state-mandated to teach – African Americans, LGBTQ+, individuals with disabilities, and Jews epitomized by the legacy of the Holocaust. Dr. King is chairing a committee to assure the all-important objective of “inclusion.” If adolescents are not sure what tomorrow will bring, they can at least feel culturally rooted today.
She agreed that students’ mental health and well-being are major concerns. The pandemic, she observed, “has made it possible for students to talk freely about mental health issues.” For Teaneck schools, the study of African American history and culture is high on the list of curricular priorities. The state set this priority in motion almost 20 years ago with its Amistad mandate to create lessons across the curriculum about African American contributions to American history. (Amistad was the name of a slave ship enslaved Africans seized control of in 1839.)
When asked how these investigations played out in the classroom and how they affected students’ relationships with each other. “Our goal as educators is to empower students with an understanding of their history as well as the history of others. Our classrooms are safe spaces for students to voice their concerns, ask questions, and engage in honest and intellectual discussions about African American history, slavery, and other significant events in history that have been erased or forgotten over time.”
“When students study African American history,” she continued. “They learn about the social, political and economic contributions of African Americans, whether they are famous historical figures or everyday men, women, and children.”
“Students learn of the resilience of those who persevere, who advocate for what is right and decent and humane. We want to empower students to make connections in their own communities and become allies in the struggle for change.” She added, “It was, after all, students who led Teaneck’s recent Black Live Matter march.”
When asked about Juneteenth and why that historical day, which commemorates the Civil War era’s emancipation of Blacks from enslavement, stands out. Juneteenth, after all, came two-plus years after emancipation’s statutory enactment. Shouldn’t we then observe January 1, 1863?
“Juneteenth was a delayed celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation, but no less important than the actual date. And it has maintained its significance in the Black community, growing in stature every year. ” On June 19, 1865, a Union general announced the freedom of slaves in Galveston, Texas, then light years away from centers of concentrated action and, after all, in the deep South where the resistance to American Black’s enfranchisement was intense. “It took the codification of the 13th Amendment to free enslaved people.”
Finding our way is an ambiguous condition. For young people, it suggests a lost generation and it is true: We are surely facing economic, political, and social hard times. But it also suggests a way forward – wherever it exists or, more precisely, wherever we mark it out.
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Dr. King is K-12 curriculum supervisor for social studies, business, and practical arts in the Teaneck public school district | |
"You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right." - Rosa Parks | | | | |
