Idependence Day . . .

Week 7: Day 43

Independence (noun) – (a) The fact or state of being independent; (b) freedom from control or influence of another or others.

Freedom (noun) – (a) Absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government; (b) The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint

In August I had the opportunity to celebrate India’s Independence Day on August 15th. As a class activity, I told my students about the United States’ Independence Day and I asked them to write a paragraph telling me: (1) why Independence Day is important; (2) how will you celebrate the holiday with your family; and (3) why do you love India? Their responses really touched me, which led me to write this post exploring not only India’s Independence, but also America’s Independence and the freedom of African Americans living in the United States.

Before I begin, here is a brief timeline: On July 4, 1776 the United States adopted the Declaration of Independence to free itself from British rule. On January 31, 1865 the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery in the United States was passed and it was officially ratified by the states on December 6, 1865. However, June 19, 1865 has become known as Emancipation Day, commemorating the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the State of Texas. On August 15, 1947 India birthed itself as a sovereign nation, independent of British rule.

India’s Freedom from British Rule:
When it came to the importance of the day, many of my students spoke of the “”freedom fighters” who helped India break free from British rule. They had a keen understanding of the great sacrifices (including life) that many people made many years ago so that they could live in their motherland (as many of them affectionately called India). They talked about British oppression and how important it is for a people to have their own land where they can live freely and have their own culture. With that said, many students went on to tell of various activities that they would do with their families over the weekend. Almost everyone talked about flying kites and eating “delicious sweets” and others explained that their individual neighborhoods had special dance performances and flag raising ceremonies.

The most touching responses were those regarding why the students loved their country. Ranging from, “India is my motherland. I was born here and I die here, giving sacrifice to my country” to “I love my country because many cultures live here together. People are very helpful and I love it here very much,” my students had plenty to say about India. This made me think about how people in America talk about it and how much love people (namely students) have for the United States. I don’t remember anyone during my middle/high school years speaking of America with the same amount of conviction that my students did, which got me to thinking . . . Do we love America any less? Do I feel as if I should sacrifice my life for my country? How do I reconcile the fact that America was an Independent nation all the while, my ancestors were still enslaved? These questions still remain, but I’m using this post as a space to get some of my thoughts out of me and open up a discussion. Okay, enough rambling, back to India’s Independence Day ;-)

I celebrated India’s Independence Day by finally watching the movie Gandhi starring Ben Kingsley. I was simply captivated by this man’s life and I learned a lot about India’s history, including the long, hard road to freedom that took place. So much of what I saw in the film (and things that I read about previously) reminded me of the experiences of African Americans in the United States. To see the way the Indian people were treated by British settlers was unnerving and I must say that the Indian people fought the good fight and got their country/land back. While much remains to be done in India, I am inspired by resolve of the people (especially my students) to honor this country and celebrate what a beautiful place it is where many cultures coexist. (but . . .stay tuned for my post of a book review of City of Djinns which explores the dark sides of India’s past)


America’s Declaration of Independence:
The Fourth of July is one of the most celebrated holidays in America as it commemorates America’s independence from British rule (you see, India and the United State have some things in common). Many people pay homage to those serving in the military (even though there is a separate holiday honoring our armed forces) and the 4th is a great day of celebration. Independence Day tends to be celebrated with fireworks, parades, barbecues (my personal favorite), carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, political speeches and ceremonies. Now, while I have celebrated this day all of my life, I must admit that I do not have the same zeal that my students had regarding Indian Independence Day. Do I love my country – absolutely, I am grateful each day and wouldn’t rather live anywhere else. Do I respect the ideals upon which this country was built upon - yes. But, you know I have trouble feeling completely enthralled in the United States’ day of Independence when I know that people who looked like me weren’t exactly called to celebrate on that fateful day many moons ago. And this is where I struggle. This is why I am writing this post . . .

I’m writing this post because I struggle with notions of freedom and independence due to the unique position of African Americans in the United States. I’m just sharing my thoughts here because my experience in India brought this to the forefront of my mind and made me think of Independence Day in a whole new way. It wasn’t until I went to college that I formally learned about Juneteenth (aka Freedom Day or Emancipation Day). This is a holiday (celebrated by most states, but it is not a national holiday) commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. The state of Texas made the announcement about abolition on June 19, 1865 although the resolution had passed in January of that year in the U.S. Senate.

Now, let’s look at this, America Declared its Independence in 1776, but it wasn’t until almost 90 years later that the institution of slavery was abolished in America. This means that an entire group of people (enslaved African Americans) were not free or independent as the rest of the country had been. It is hard for me to swallow the fact that a group of people (i.e. the “Founding Fathers”) recognized the need to be free and independent of foreign rule/governance, yet still thought it was okay to enslave human beings. Not really sure how that logic was able to fly, but hey – it happened and now African Americans are in a position where we are expected to celebrate a holiday that was not meant for us (at least not for another 90 years and that’s an underestimate considering the continued struggle for equality in the U.S.). Even more troubling for me is the fact that Juneteenth is not a national holiday – it would be nice for the nation to be forced to acknowledge that ugly part of our past – there were slaves that were not free at the time of independence and therefore were still in need of a reprieve.

Now, while I won’t hold my breath to make Juneteenth a national holiday, I have decided that in addition to celebrating the 4th of July each year, I will also celebrate Juneteenth. June 19th is now a day that I will set aside to commemorate the abolition of slavery. I owe it to my ancestors (aka freedom fighters) to recognize this historic day. My students helped me realize that I had been missing a true connection to freedom in the U.S., but I think this will help me find it. And when the day comes for me to raise my own children, they too will celebrate June 19th and July 4th as two days of independence that should be observed in America. I guess that’s all I got, I’d love your thoughts about this one ;-)