TheMAAFA is a Kiswahili term for "terrible occurrence" or "great disaster". It refers to the Black Holocaust when millions of Africans died during the journey of captivity from the west coast of Africa to the shores of America, known as the Middle Passage. Our ancestors died in the belly of slave ships or choose death by jumping into the sea rather than live in captivity.

It is a remembrance of the thousands of African Americans lynched and murdered before and after the end of enslavement. This especially includes the Red Summer of 1919 and the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, considered the worst domestic terrorist event in U.S. history.

 

 "As Americans, we must not ignore our violent racial history resulting from enslavement, but openly and honestly embrace it as we seek God together as a nation for true racial reconciliation and healing. The observance of Juneteenth in America continues to provide the nation an annual opportunity to constructively confront our dark history of enslavement, impacting future generations."As the leader of the "Modern Juneteenth Movement" in America, Dr. Myers knows that more can be done to encourage reconciliation and healing during the observance of Juneteenth.  Calling for the U.S. Congress to pass legislation to establish Juneteenth Independence Day as a National Holiday Observance, like Flag Day or Patriot Day,  Dr. Myers continues to invite President Barack Obama, America's first African American president, to support the annual WASHINGTON JUNETEENTH National Holiday Observance and the National Day of Reconciliation and Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement. History reveals that George Washington was a slave owner. Thomas Jefferson was a slave owner. 

However, not all of the founding fathers were slave owners. John Adams, the second president of the United States, did not own any slaves. The US Capitol and the White House were built through the uncompensated labor of the ancestors of Americans of African descent during the tyranny of enslavement. In a letter to President Barack Obama, Dr. Myers urges him to recognize the Americans of African descent who built the White House while hosting a Juneteenth celebration this year. "In response, we have embraced the term 'Maafa', a Kiswahili term meaning 'disaster' or'terrible occurrence', to tell our own story about our enslavement and the sustained attempt to dehumanize us," continues Dr. Myers. Beginning in the year 2000, during the annual WASHINGTON JUNETEENTH National Holiday Observance, June 18 has now been set aside as the date for the National Day of Reconciliation and Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement.  It is also known as the National Day of the Remembrance of the Maafa. 

 

 

 

Meet Baltimore Mayor & trailblazer Stephanie Rawlings Blake. Did U know that she is the only African American female mayor governing a major city in the US currently? #BlackHistory

  Did U know...in 2004, Oprah became the 1st black person to rank among the 50 most generous Americans. By 2012, she had given away $400 MIL to educational causes, including 400 scholarships to Morehouse College. She also spent $40 Mil of her own money to create the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in Africa.

Anyone convicted of a misdemeanor in Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, South Carolina, and South Dakota may not vote while incarcerated. Kentucky and Missouri additionally require an executive pardon before allowing people convicted of certain misdemeanors ("high misdemeanors” in KY and "elections-related misdemeanors” in MO) from ever voting again. In Iowa, only persons convicted of an "aggravated" misdemeanor cannot vote while incarcerated.

In West Virginia only persons convicted of certain elections-related misdemeanors cannot vote while incarcerated - all others may vote by absentee ballot.

In the District of Columbia certain election, lobbying, and campaign finance-related crimes (that may be misdemeanors) are defined as felonies for the purpose of disenfranchisement under section 1-1001.02(7) of its code - all others with a misdemeanor conviction may vote by absentee ballot while incarcerated.

    

The nation’s largest private prison company, the Corrections Corporation of America, is on a buying spree. With a war chest of $250 million, the corporation, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, this month sent letters to 48 states, offering to buy their prisons outright. To ensure their profitability, the corporation insists that it be guaranteed that the prisons be kept at least 90 percent full. Plus, the corporate jailers demand a 20-year management contract, on top of the profits they expect to extract by spending less money per prisoner.

 9-25-12

 

 

 

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Americans of African descent built both the White House and the U.S. Capitol during the tyranny of enslavement. Our ancestors have made many significant contributions to the building of the infrastructure of America that have yet to be acknowledged.