Jubilee Day is the African American’s Independence Day! It is a celebration and commemoration of January 1, 1863 when the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION freed the slaves. The EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION is our Declaration of Independence!
Using his authority as Commander in Chief, President Abraham Lincoln issued the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION as a war time necessity–mainly to deprive the South of free labor. The EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION only freed those slaves in states in rebellion against the United States: Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas*, parts of Louisiana (New Orleans was among areas excluded) and parts of Virginia (portions which later became West Virginia were excluded). The EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION did not apply to those slaves owned by Native Americans on reservations as the reservations were technically nether a part of the United States nor the Confederate States.
The EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION also allowed willing black men to enlist in the United States Armed forces.
Each January 1st, the DeKalb County Branch of the NAACP celebrates the issuance of the EMANCPATION PROCAMATION with a program of commemoration held in conjunction with Rainbow Park Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Steven Dial, Sr., Senior Pastor. Each year, the program consists of a theme, a key note speaker, music by the sensational Rainbow Park Baptist Church Choir and an educational program booklet.
The 2020 program theme is “The Promise of America is Not the Same Promise to Us!” The program booklet will focus on America’s promises and our efforts to gain equality: from the broken promises of the UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, the organized failure of the RECONSTRUCTION ERA, under the yoke of the JIM CROW LAWS, our rebellion during the RED SUMMER OF 1919, and throughout the GREAT MIGRATION.
Everyone is invited. Come out and bring a youth with you. The NAACP DeKalb Jubilee Day Program is an enjoyable way to learn about and celebrate African American history. The program only lasts two hours and we promise you will be out by twelve noon, in enough time to watch football.
