HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Juneteenth

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

Watch Night

 

The following information was actually written as an essay by Charyn D. Sutton, The Onyx Group, in December 2000 and revised in August 2004. The essay appears here in its entirety... 

 If you grew up in a black community in the United States, you have probably heard of "Watch Night" Services, the gathering of the faithful in church on New Year's Eve. 

The service usually begins anywhere from 7:00pm-10:00pm and ends at 12:00 midnight with the entrance of the New Year. Some folks come to church first, before going out to celebrate. For others, church is the only New Year's Eve destination. 

 Like many others, I always assumed that Watch Night was a fairly standard Christian religious service, made a bit more Afrocentric because that's what happens when elements of Christianity become linked with the black church. And yes, there is a history of Watch Night Services in the Methodist tradition. Still, it seemed that most white Christians did not include Watch Night Services on their calendars, but focused instead on Christmas Eve programs.

 In fact, there were instances where clergy in mainline denominations wondered aloud about the propriety of linking religious services with a secular holiday like New Year's Eve. However, in doing some research, I discovered there are two essential reasons for the importance of New Year's Eve services in African American congregations. 

Many of the Watch Night Services in black communities that we celebrate today can be traced back to gatherings held on December 31, 1862, also known as "Freedom's Eve." On that night, Americans of African descent came together in churches, gathering places, and private homes throughout the nation, anxiously awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had become law. Then, at the stroke of midnight, it was January 1, 1863 and according to President Abraham Lincoln's promise, all slaves in the Confederate States were legally free. People remained in churches and other gathering places, eagerly awaiting word that Emancipation had been declared. When the actual news of freedom was received later that day, there were prayers, shouts of joy, and songs of praise as people fell to their knees and thanked God. 

 But even before 1862 and the possibility of a Presidential Emancipation, African people had gathered on New Year's Eve on plantations across the South. That is because many owners of enslaved Africans tallied up their business accounts on the first day of each new year. Human property was sold along with land, furnishings, and livestock to satisfy debts.

 Families and friends were separated. Often they never saw each other again in this earthly world. Thus, coming together on December 31 might be the last time for enslaved and free Africans to be together with loved ones.

 Black folks in North America have gathered annually on New Year's Eve since the earliest days, praising God for bringing us safely through another year and praying for the future. Certainly, those traditional gatherings were made even more poignant by the events of 1863 which brought freedom to the slaves and the Year of Jubilee. 

 Many generations have passed since that time and most of us were never taught the significance of gathering on New Year's Eve. Yet, our traditions and faith still bring us together at the end of every year to celebrate once again, "how we got over." Please pass this information on to your family and friends so that they will know the true history behind the tradition we call "Watch Night".

VOTE!

 

Never Forget Them

 Remembering four little girls killed on this day. September 15, 1963 In A Church Bombing by Racists who terrorized the Black community of Birmingham,Alabama for regersting to vote.  

Denise McNair, Carol Robertson, Addie Mae Collins, and Cynthia Wesley.
#neverforget

September 11, Never Forget

 

Happy Labor Day

 

Happy 4th Of July

 We may need another revolution but......

Juneteenth!

 

I never Told You To Hate Anybody

 

A LESSON FOR OUR TIMES!

There Is A Difference...

 

Days Of Infamy

 

Make The Year Iconic

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

Merry Christmas

 

A Vote Is Not A Valentine

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 

What I've Learned

1.I've always loved my city (Philadelphia PA.) The Good and the Bad of it...I was born and raised here. after all.

2. Most of my family and close friends have left Philly...I'm like the last man satnding.

3. I like living in the city, it's very convenient.

4. The Blood in my veins and my DNA is made up of Cheese Steaks and Soft Pretzels...

5.Unlike other Philadelphians...It don't feel entitled to double park....That won't fly in other towns, especially the Philadelphia  suburbs...

6. Some Pennsylvanian's and even people from South Jersey go to other places and say they're from Philadelphia because they know, no one else has heard of their small town or township.

7.My sports teams, The Phillies, 76ers and Eagles have broken my heart most of my life...but in 2008, The Phillies won the World Series ,in 2009, they went back again, though the didn't win...in 2022 they went back to the world series..and my Eagles went to the Super Bowl...They didn't win...but they did win in 2018. My Sixers won in 1983, when I was 25....Still waiting for another championship.

8.Fun for me was hanging out  on South Street on a Saturday Afternoon...

9.I love all of my hometown artists, The Roots,Jill Scott, Boyz II Men, Will Smith et al.

10. I've been all through Europe and in Asia and through most of the United States, but at the end of the day...I'm Philly all day!

PEACE!

What I've Learned

 

1.You're not always going to get the closure or the explanation you think you deserve.

2. Sometimes you have to accept something for what it is and move on

3.Everything really does happen for a reason.

4.Sex is only dirty if you do it right!

5.The right person will never get bored, tired or unhappy with you.

6.Overplayng your part, trying to prove your loyalty will almost always lead you to disappoinyment.

7.Sometimes the more people you cut out of your life, the better you feel.

8.Adversity doesn't happen to you...it happens for you.

9.Life is too short  to live with regrest....Just move on!

10.People ask what you do for a living, so they can calculate the level of respect to give to you!

PEACE!