Father's Day/Juneteenth Message

Speaking with my 81 year old father and wishing him a Happy Father’s Day, he stated of how thankful he was to see yet another one. He reminisced of years gone by and even his own childhood when there was no such thing as “A Father’s Day.” But, it also led us to talking about Juneteenth. Once again, he went on to share about the harsh conditions of growing up in Jim Crow law in Mississippi. He described to me the things that occurred, the places he could not go, and ways in which he was treated by those who looked at him as less than equal. But through it all he said, “God brought me through.”

As our country pauses to recognize the Juneteenth holiday this weekend, it is a time for each of us to reflect back upon the history of the United States of America. Juneteenth, which is a combination of June and 19th, was originally known as Jubilee Day. It was actually pulled directly from the scriptures of Leviticus to describe the time when the people of Moses were set free. Juneteenth is the time we recognize that 2 years after President Abraham Lincoln made it offcial, the slaves in the state of Texas were finally informed about their emancipation from slavery.?

Ironically, like it took so much time for the news of those free from slavery to travel, we have also seen race relations take a slow process in terms of healing in our country. From the Jim Crow days, the Civil Rights Movement, and events that led to the George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breaonna Taylor Black Lives Matter protest, show us that we continue to see our country struggle with improving race relations.

But as my father said, “God continues to bring us through.” God has blessed our generation to see tremendous strides along the way. We have seen parts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream become a reality. My father shared that he had never been on a court or playing field with a white person until he started coaching during integration. And now he is well respected as both a former coach and official by blacks and whites equally.??

Now as we celebrate Juneteenth, let us take the time to recognize the sacrfifices of so many who fought to insure our freedoms, especially those that struggled through the bondages of slavery to help build this country. Men and women like my father and so many others can now visualize the possibilities of those things that they could only once dream of being able to do as well as imagine the potential that lies before us all.?

Here at Restoration Academy, we are thankful for the platform that God has allowed us to provide our students with the academic tools needed to succeed in this society, as well as a spiritual foundation to help fortify their faith. We continue to thank all of those that have heeded to God's call on them to be a part of the ministry here at Restoration Academy, whether to teach, attend, support, or just to pray. We thank you.

My prayer is that each of us will continue to remember the significance of Juneteenth just as much as we recognize the Independence of July 4th. I employ each of us to all continue to pray and strive for Unity as we seek to build “A Better Tomorrow for the Children of Today,” so that one day this country will truly be “United as One.” Thank you Daddy for what you have done to allow me to pass on your dream to my own kids. God bless you all. Happy Father’s Day and Juneteenth!