The Ecstasy of Freedom and Exhilaration of Equality
Yesterday, President Biden signed the Juneteenth Independence Day Act into law, making June 19th a federal holiday, the first since the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday designation in 1983. It has been a long-fought battle for many—political, religious, and community leaders, including Rev. Forbes—to see this day become a reality. Like others, who remained persistent and committed to lifting up Juneteenth as the true day of independence, Rev. Forbes stayed strong, bringing the community together to celebrate each and every year.
This following is an excerpt from an article Rev. Forbes wrote for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in celebration of Juneteenth.
Rev. Forbes at the Juneteenth Celebration at Carnegie Hall 2019
The Prophetic Formula In General Order No. 3
By The Reverend Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr.
While preparing for our Juneteenth Celebration at Carnegie Hall this year, I reread General Order No. 3 presented by General Grainger at Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. I observed that the order combines two elements that only the Creator could grant. From a prophetic perspective, although the Proclamation of freedom was from the President of the United States, only God can grant freedom and absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves. Consider these words from General Order No. 3:
The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them, becomes that between employer and hired labor.
The Founding Fathers recognized that we were endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In this spirit, I see the divine mandate for the combination of freedom and equality insinuated in General Order No. #3. The ecstasy of freedom and the exhilaration of equality belong together. Celebrations of freedom that do not recognize the fundamental equality of all people miss the mark of divine intentionality. In the light of this theological affirmation, I see a deficit in situations where freedom is separated from social, economic, and political equality.
Let’s recall the time when we rejoiced about the new and free South Africa. On the evening of April 27, 1994, Charlayne Hunter Gault, Danny Glover, and I met in a restaurant in Johannesburg to watch the returns from the election. Our hearts were filled with joy that apartheid had been defeated. The people were dancing the toi-toi. Yet, we recognized that the victory was incomplete because the negotiations and the election did not include serious redistribution of economic resources. I thought about the fact that the most exciting occasion during my tenure as Senior Minister at the Riverside Church in New York, had been the visit of Nelson Mandela after his release from prison. His freedom was grand and glorious and so was the election of a new government in South Africa. But, don’t forget the prophetic formula—freedom and equality together. After the election it became obvious that there is only a hint of freedom until the inequities of oppression are addressed in substantive economic and political terms. That is partly what I had in mind when I wrote this hymn that night.
When True Healing Has Begun
Oh how precious is the freedom which through struggle had been won
Sweeter yet the celebration when true healing has begun.
First the healing of the spirit, of a people torn apart.
Tattered ties of friendship mended, trust restored in every heart.
Reconnect us, Ancient Spirit. Bring forgiveness, love, and power.
Teach us how to be one people. Guide us through this birthing hour.
Bid us reach across the chasm - class and culture, tribe and race.
Help us see in the hearts of others, hopes, and dreams we all embrace.
From the evils of oppression, Lord, deliver and redeem.
When we yearn for retribution, cleanse us with Your love supreme.
Courage calls for true confession - how our sins have maimed us so.
Hope inspires a new direction, reaching out to friend or foe.
While we dream and build together, heart to heart and hand in hand
We’ll uncover hidden treasures, lavished on our blessed land.
None alone can reap the harvest, all our stories hold a key
To the age of hope and healing: peaceful, just, secure, and free.
Oh how precious is the freedom which through struggle has been won.
Sweeter yet the celebration when true healing has begun.
By God’s grace we lift our voices. Many tongues will sing one song.
“Once divided, now united, Lo! A nation, free and strong!”
With the Senate’s passing of the bill toward making Juneteenth a national holiday, it is my hope that we will keep in mind the prophetic formula hidden in General Order No. 3. That will prevent the trivialization of the holiday and the movement toward a more perfect union. May we hold ourselves to the double standard of freedom and equality until we are not only a democratic society but also a beloved community.
I invite you to join Dr. Forbes on Saturday at 7:30pm for Juneteenth Celebration: All American Freedom Day. Click the image below for full details. To view the program, or go to the Juneteenth website or to the Carnegie Hall webpage.
