Awòro Ògún

Practical Ìṣẹ̀ṣè (Indigenous Yoruùbá) Spiritual Development, by your friendly neighborhood Babalawo and Ol’Ògún Priest

[liberalsarecool]

[aworoogun]

Anyone can learn to use Obi Abata (four lobed kola nut) to divine and talk to one’s Ancestors, Egbe Orun “spiritual companions”, and Orisa.

[gtiniker-deactivated20181014]

society: black women are ugly.

non-black women: 💅

society: black women are hoes and sluts.

non-black women: 💅

society: black women are goldiggers.

non-black women: 💅

society: black women need to stop having all these out of wedlock kids.

non-black women: 💅

society: black women are low class.

non-black women: 💅

society: black women are welfare queens.

non-black women: 💅

society: black women are loud and obnoxious.

non-black women: 💅

society: black women are uneducated and ignorant.

non-black women: 💅

society: nobody likes black women.

non-black women: 💅

Black woman: we have it so bad, society just loves to single us out and put us down. We need to uplift ourselves and each other as black women.

non-black women: why are you just making it about black women? You should try to uplift ALL women.

[aworoogun]

Ifá ati Esin Òrìṣà Ibile - Ifá & Indigenous Òrìṣà Veneration

There is no separate religion in Yoruba Country between Ifá and Esin Òrìṣà. In fact, most male Oniṣese are initiated to Ifá even if they run Òrìṣà temples and would be considered Olòrìṣà. The priest who runs Obatala’s own shrine in Ifẹ̀: Obalesun Obatala, considered a paramount chief next the Ooni, uses Ifà to communicate with Obatala. My Baba Ògún is a Babalawo and Olòrìṣà. In Yorùbá Country, one’s individual destiny and Orí determines what path one follows and that includes the Òrìṣà to receive and initiate to. I have several friends and family members that have adosu (initiation) to 3 or 4 Òrìṣà and are practicing Babalawo or Iyanifá. The temples contain schools or orders of priests that the Òrìṣà Themselves select to guide and heal different communities.

I believe confusion comes in when comparing traditions in the Diaspora that changed from adaptation to first the slave trade and then adherents that didn’t indentify as ethnically Yorùbá or even African.

It’s important to provide context that what is practiced in the diaspora has a source and what is done in the west is not necessarily the canon and authority on how an ancient system of spiritual development is practiced after millennia.

[chubby-teen-princess]

Reblog this if you think girls of all sizes can be beautiful.

Let’s see how many people don’t care about size.

[eastcokecucci-deactivated202110]

Reblog if you also think boys of any size can be beautiful

[aworoogun]

Iwure Ifá for Wealth from Èji Ogbé

Arómogẹ́gẹ́

Aromọgẹ̀gẹ̀

Òjí-ní-kùtùkùtù-mọ́kùn-ọlà-dání

Ọlòmò-ṣíjú rere rẹ wòo níí ńlówó

Níá-ńlá lewèe ṣápó ńyọ

Ọ̀rúnmìlà

Bí mo ṣòwò bí n’òṣòwò

Ọ̀rúnmìlà ó tó gẹ́gẹ́ kí o fi ẹgbẹẹgbẹ̀rún

Owó kìsì fún mi lónìí

Níjọ́ tí kútákùtá bá wọ̀lú

Ọjọ́ náà níí gba odíìdo ẹni

Ifá jẹ́ kí nrí Olùsìn lónìí o

Ojúmọ́ kìí mọ́

Kí ọwọ́ mi kún fún owó, ire gbogbo

One who robes a child to befit the child

One who robes a child with utmost care

One who wakes up early in the morning and holds the ropes to prosperity

He looks after the earth is the name of Ifá

Whoever you look upon with your eye of compassion is blessed with prosperity

Ifá, please look at me with compassion and let be me blessed with wealth

The Ṣápó tree usually sprouts big leaves

The banana tree usually sprouts big leaves

Ọ̀rúnmìlà

Whether I engage in merchandise

Or I do not engage in merchandise

It is high time you blessed me with wealth in several thousands upon thousands

The day a horse enters a town

That day it will someone as its attendant

Ifá let me have someone to attend to me

There is no day

That the hen’s food sac is not filled with food

The day that daws for me today

Let my hands be filled with money and all the good things in life

[aworoogun]

Iwure for Wealth from Ogbe Ogunda (Ogbèyonú)

Mo berin jà, mo derin

Mo bẹ́fọ̀n jà, mo si dẹ́fọ̀n

Mo bọlọrun Ọ́lọ́run jà

Ọ́lọ́run ló dá mi silé Ayé

Ẹni Ọ́lọ́run dá ko se da lóró

Adifá fún Ọ̀gá tíí se ọmọ Olódùmarè

Iré ajé témi n wá

Ọwọ́ mi ò tó o

Ègbo yẹ̀yẹ̀, Ifá yóò gbo ire Ajé

Temi wá fún mi

I wrestled with Elephant, I threw him to the ground

I wrestled with Water Buffalo, I threw him to the ground.

I wrestled with God.

It was God who threw me onto the earth

Ifá divination was performed for Ọ̀gá, the offspring of God

The blessing of money that I am craving for,

My hands have not reached it

Ègbo yẹ̀yẹ̀, it is Ifá that would direct the blessing of money

That belongs to me to my side

[aworoogun]

Ifa Verses As Sources of Practical Iwure

The best source of Iwure is Ifá verses. They are categorized for every situation imaginable Let’s start with a practical one for starting your day from Odu Mimo Oyeku Meji. We start prayers at dawn because the forces that create each day are the forces that create ire - good fortune and blessings for us.


Iwure Oyeku Meji - collected by Chief FAMA


Opele lo yo tan, lo dakun dele Once opele is full, it lays flat on its stomach [a well consecrated opele performs extraordinarily well] D'Ifa fun peregede, tii se yeye ojumo mo Divined for peregede (brightness), dawn's mother Ojumo ire mo mi l'onii o Today is a day of 'ire' for me [May I be blessed with abundant ire today] Peregede, iwo ni yeye ojumo mo Brightness, you are dawn's mother [Brightness, you are in charge of today's activities] Ojumo aje mo mi l'onii o Today is a day of financial success for me [Today, 'and always,' bless me with abundant wealth] Peregede, iwo ni yeye ojumo mo Brightness, you are dawn's mother [Brightness, you are dawn; you are in charge of today’s activities] Ojumo aya/oko mo mi l'onii o Today is the day for a wife, or a husband, for me [Today, and always, bless me with a good relationship] Peregede, iwo ni yeye ojumo mo Brightness, you are dawn's mother [Brightness, you are in charge of today's activities] Ojumo omo mo mi l'onii o Today is the day of children for me [Today, and always, make me a proud parent] Peregede, iwo ni yeye ojumo mo Brightness, you are dawn's mother [Brightness, you are in charge of today's activities] Ojumo ogbo, ato mo mi l'onii o Today is a day of good health and longevity for me [For today, and always, bless me with good health and long life] Peregede, iwo ni yeye ojumo Brightness, you are dawn's mother [Brightness, you are in charge of today's activities].

[spi-ltmilk]

[aworoogun]

ORIKI OLOKUN

hautehippy inspired this

Olokun aje ti aye oba omi Olokun a life without end Omi nla to kari aye Queen of water Osele gbe senibu omi Great water that covers the whole earth Ti koni momo A wonderful ocean that has no end Gbogbo eni ti waye Whoever wants wealth E je ka kori s’Ile Olokun Let them go to Olokun’s house Sanle aje Who has uncountable wealth Iya eni to l’aje 2x Mother of uncountable wealth Ogbugbu ni so oni so boji One who has abundant wealth Alagbalu gbu omi 2 x Water without end Eni ajiki She who we greet early Eni ajike She welcomes and receives well Ai ri di Olokun Nobody knows the source of Olokun Ao mo bere re No knows her beginning Aje pe gbogbo omi Let all water bow down for Olokun E fi ori fun olokun gbogbo odo Because Olokun is the head of all rivers E fo ori fun Olokun oba omi Because Olokun is the head, Queen of waters Omi oooooooo Water ooooooo

[aworoogun]

Oriki Ogun Kofe A Short Oriki Ogun

This Oriki is from my own Oluwo’, Fayemi Abidemi Fakayode of Ibadan, Nigeria. You can find him on facebook under Fayemi Abidemi.

Ògún lakaye Ògún famous in the world Onija ole the strongest fighter Ejemu Oniwonran the blood drinker of Iwonran village (in ancient Ifẹ̀) Adigirigiri rebi ija the one clever in fighting Koko eti odo ti ro minimini the river bank grass sounds gently Egbe leyin omo kan he favors lonely children Egbe leyin omo adaloro he favors the orphan Onile kangun kangun ona Orun the owner of many shaped houses in heaven Mo ni Ògún Onire oko mi I said Ògún Onire my beloved! Mo ni meje lÒgún mi I said there are seven Ògún of mine Ògún Alara nijaja Ògún Alara eats dog Ògún Onire won a j’agbo Ògún Onire eats ram Ògún ikola ni je igbin Ògún Ikola eats snail Ògún Molamola ni yekuru funfun Ògún Molamola eats white baked beans Ògún Gbondogbondo eja ni won je Ògún Gbondogbondo eats fish Ogu Onigbajamo irun ni je Ògún Onigbajamo eats hair Ògún Alapata ni jeje eran Ògún Alapata eats animal blood Ojumo Oni mo Kalapata mo mo je eje eran The Butcher who eats animal blood every blessed day Ejigbojo omo yawu kotoyagi Ejigbojo who breaks the smithy before breaking trees Atamuyan alagbe abi emi selele Atamunyan the blacksmith who has razor scissors

Ogun ye!

[thegnosticdread]

Nigga does not derive from the word Negus.

The word “Negus” was the title given to the King of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), from Amharic “negush” meaning “king”, stemming from “nagasha” which means “he forced, ruled”.

“Nagasha” is also not related to the word “Naga”, and “Naga” is not related to the word “Nigga”. “Naga” is of Sanskrit origin meaning “serpent, snake”. “Naga” in Japanese means “long”; I bring that point up just to demonstrate that just because a word means something in one language (Naga meaning “snake” in Sanskrit) doesn’t mean that meaning carries over when a word with a similar sound is spoken in another language (Naga meaning “long” in Japanese. Hebi means “snake” in Japanese).

“Nigga” obviously derives from “N*gg*r” which itself derives from an earlier Scottish and English dialect “Neger” which in turns derives from the French word “Nègre” which derives from the Spanish word “Negro”. Hence where you get the word “Negroes” from. The Spanish word “Negro” which anyone who knows some Spanish knows it means “black”, comes from the Latin word “Nigrum” which in turn means “black, dark”.

People often point to the Niger River or Nigeria as some sort of justification but these are not native names. Dr. Ben-Jochannan has already shown that the names used in Africa today are not native. The Niger River was called that by Europeans, in native African tongues it is called Jeliba (Manding language), Orimiri (Igbo language), Egerew n-Igerewen (Tuareg language), Isa Ber (Songhay langauage), Kwara (Hausa language), and Oya (Yoruba language). Niger is not the name used in any of the native African languages, so the argument that we used the word Niger to mean “king, god, etc” is dead.

This is why studying history and etymology is important when looking at the origin of words. Don’t let these pseudo-“conscious” folks fool you. We’re putting an end to all the pseudoscience this summer.

http://thegnosticdread.com/register

#gnosticism #hermeticism #spirituality #knowledgeofself #thegnosticdread #juneteenth #alchemy #astrology #theurgy #magick #divination #tarot #tantra #yoga #ifa #hoodoo #voodoo #santeria #candomblé #brujeria #brujo #brujasofinstagram #africa #black #negus

[brightmoonfey]

I have been wondering for a while what the native Africans call their rivers and countries, outside of how the European-colonized West does.

This also reminds me of how far my eyes rolled in my head when White People were collectively on some nonsense when the word “bae” started popping up. Because, of course, every black person is randomly dropping in some other European language into our conversation and not at all creating our own words for our own use (that everyone else is going to turn around and use anyway).

[aworoogun]

The fact is every country on the continent of Africa and the Middle East has borders dictated by colonizers. You can start researching here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scramble_for_Africa and here: https://uk-essays.net/european-colonialism-middle-east-history & here: https://coldwarstudies.com/2013/01/11/history-of-colonization-in-the-middle-east-and-north-africa-mena-precursor-to-cold-war-conflict/

[naijaboi]

“Art and culture are themselves time-traveling, planes of existence where the past, present, and future shift seamlessly in and out. And for those of us from communities with historic collective trauma, we must understand that each of us is already science fiction walking around on two legs. Our ancestors dreamed us up and then bent reality to create us.” Octavia’s Brood

#octaviabutler #ancestors #art #culture #historicaltrauma #healing #future #past #africaisthefuture #thefutureisqueer

[aworoogun]

IWURE - the Structure of Traditional Yorùbá Prayer, part 2: ORÍKÍ

ORÍKÍ literally means “chanting praise to the head” The “head” in this sense is the inner spirit of a person, lineage, Òrìṣà, Ancestor or anyone.

The ancient Yorùbá taught us that the head is the container for the spirit. Particularly that part of the spirit that works to express the traits that allows one to fulfill their destiny in the world.

Using IWURE as an appeal to a spirit, after calling or invoking them, we chant praise and homage to all the spirits, ancestors, people and forces that assist us in IJUBÀ/IBÀ.

Now we chant to celebrate the special qualities, characteristics and powers of the spirit we are appealing to in Oríkí.

IWURE

Invocation

Ijubà / Ibà - homage and praise

Oríkí - eulogizing the special nature, abilities and character of a spirit.

ORÍKÍ are sources of the disposition of the Òrìṣà and the other spiritual forces the indigenous Yorùbá work with. Maybe even before Ifá verses they are important to learn and collect.

Here is an example:

Oríkí Àjẹ́

Ìyá mi òṣòròngà

My mother òṣòròngà

Afín ‘júẹyẹ

The immaculate bird

A pa má wà á igún

She who slaughters without looking for Vulture to consume the carcass (because she eats everything, flesh bones, intestines, etc.)

Oníwọ̀wọ́ àdó

Owner of plenty of medicinal gourds

Ò ru’mọ l’óògùn dànù

She who renders charms and spells impotent

Ológbò dúdú òru

Black cat of the night

Olókìkí òru

The famous dweller of the night

A jẹ̀’dọ̀ tútù má bì

She who does not suffer nausea from eating raw liver

Obìnrin dúdú rẹ́gí rẹ́gí, èyí tí í lọ nígbà ọjà bá tú

The beautiful Black Woman who is always the last person to leave the market

Dà’ṣẹ d’èpè nù tí í gbé’ni mì bí kàlòkàlò

She who renders aṣẹ and curses impotent while she swallows people like a casino machine

Òjìji fìrí

Twinkling shadow

A fẹ́ gẹ́gẹ́ ní’ yẹ̀ẹ́

The light feathered bird

A ró igba aṣọ má ba‘lẹ̀

200 pieces of wrap-around cloth are never enough for her

Ẹlẹ́yin‘jú ẹgẹ́, ẹyẹ ní Mọrẹ́

The beautiful bird in Mọrẹ̀ (Mọrẹ̀ is in Ilé Ifẹ̀)

A-jẹ-apá-jẹ-orí, a j’ẹ̀dọ̀-j’ohùn, a ti inú òroòro jẹ̀’fun

She who eats the head via the arm; the liver via the voice box; the intestines via the gall bladder

Ò wẹ̀ nínú omi ṣàló ṣàló

She bathes [in blood] like a fish

Ọdẹ t’apó y’oró, àrọ̀nìmòjà t’àpò y’oògùn

Like a hunter, she draws poison from the charm bag; powerful medicine person who draws charms from her pocket

Ẹ̀yin ẹ̀bìtì ká’wọ́ s’ẹ́yìn ṣ’oro

Cold havoc wreckers

A bà ‘órí igi ìrókò má yẹ̀

She who perches comfortably on the ìrókó tree

Òró gogoro l’óko olóko

The fearsome mystic positions herself conspicuously on someone’s farm

Oníbàntẹ́ pèlèjà tí í bá ni jà láì f’ọwọ́ kan ni

The fighter who fights one invisibly

Ológbò dúdú etí ọjà

Black cat on the edge of the marketplace

Èse, a b’ìrù gìlọ̀ gìlọ̀

The cat with a long tail

Ají ká ìgboro, a rìn ká ìgboro

The town prowler

Òjí ní kùtù f’omi ìgboro bọ́’ jú

She who starts prowling the streets from early morning

Tí a bá pe’rí akọi, àá fi idà na lẹ̀

It is with great awe that the brave is summoned

Ìbà tó tó tó

My humble respect.

From Fundamentals of the Yoruba Religion (Orisa Worship) 2002

by Chief FAMA

[aworoogun]

A Practical Ijúbà When Working With Ifá

Ǹjẹ́ o gbọ́ Ifá o

Therefore Ifá you have heard

Ìwọ lawo

You are the knowledgeable

Èmi lọ̀gbẹ̀rì

I am the novice

Bo o bá ríre kóo wí

Please say if you read good tidings

Bó o bá ríbì kóo sọ

Please say if you see bad omens

Mọ́ fibi pe ire

Do not read evil and say it is good fortunes

Mọ́ fire pe ibi

Do not read good fortune and say it is evil

Kó o mọ́ fòlòlò fọhùn

Do not leave anything unsaid

Iwájú Ọpọ́n o gbọ́

The front of the tray you have heard

Ẹ̀yin Ọ̀pọ́n o gbọ́

The rear of the tray you have heard

Olùmú lọ́tùún

Olùmú on the right side

Ọlọ̀kànràn lósì

Ọlọ̀kànràn on the left

Aarin Ọpọ́n ìt ọ̀run

The center of the Ọpọ́n is the front yard of Heaven

Ìbà Ilẹ̀ ọ̀gẹ̀rẹ́ afọkọ́yẹrí

Reverence to Mother Earth, you that uses the hoe to comb your head

Ìbàa bàbá

Reverence to you all fathers

Ìbàa yèyé

Reverence to you all mothers

Ìbà Olúwo

Reverence to you all Oluwos

Ìbà Ojugbọ̀nà

Reverence to you all Ojugbonas

Ìbà àtiwáyé ọ́jọ́

Reverence to the Dawn that ushers in a new day

Ìbà àtiwọ̀ Oòrùn

Reverence to the sunset

Àdáṣe níí hun ọmọ o

Unsupported actions bring evil repercussions

Ìbà ò gbọdọ̀ hun ọmọ o

But reverence before actions cannot bring evil repercussions

Báa bá fẹ́mọ lójú

When we blow off the dirt from the eye of a child

A ríran

He definitely must see

Ǹjẹ́ Ifá ọ̀hún rèé o

Therefore this is the Ifá that will speak

(Bí àwọn Babaláwo bá ń bẹ níbẹ̀ gbogbo wọ́n ó si dáhùn pé àdáṣẹ!)

(Lifting the Ifá up for all to see and if Babaláwos are present, they would answer in a chorus, ‘Adase’, May you divine correctly)

[aworoogun]

A Good, Practical Ijuba to Use

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Olódùmarè,

Reverence (or my reverence) to God,

Oba a te rere k’aye

She who spreads (presides) all over the universe

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) àtiyọ ọjọ

Reverence (or my reverence) to the dawn (sunrise)

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) àtiwọ̀ oòrùn

Reverence to the sunset

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Ilẹ̀ ọ̀gẹ́ẹ́rẹ́ a f’ọkọ́ yẹ’rí.

Reverence to Mother Earth

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Ọ̀rúnmìlà Ẹlẹ́rìí Ìpín

Reverence to Ọ̀rúnmìlà, Witness to Creation

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) igba Irúnmọlẹ̀ ojùkọ̀tún

Reverence to the 200 deities on the right side of God

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) igba Irúnmọlẹ̀ ojùkòsìn

Reverence to the 200 deities on the left side of God

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) ọ̀kànlé-ni Irinwó Irúnmọlẹ̀

Reverence to the 401 Irúnmọlẹ̀

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Akọ́dá

Reverence to Ọ̀rúnmìlà’s first student

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Aṣẹ̀dá

Reverence to Akọ́dá’s first student

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Àràbà lótù Ifẹ̀

Reverence to the chief of all Babalawos & Iyanifas worldwide

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) àwọn Ìyá afín’jú ẹyẹ

Reverence to the Mothers, the Beautiful birds (the Witches)

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Egún Ilé

Reverence to my Ancestors (insert your Ancestors names)

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Bàbá (insert your father’s name)

Reverence to my Father

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Yèyé (insert your mother’s name)

Reverence to my Mother

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Olúwo (insert your godfather’s name)

Reverence to my Godfather

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Ojugbona

(the Ojùgbọnà is the one who assists your godparent in initiating you)

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Awon Alaseku

Reverence to all who performed the sacred rites successfully before

From Fundamentals of the Yorùbá Religion by Chief FAMA Àìná Adéwálé-Somahdi

[aworoogun]

IWURE - the Structure of Traditional Yorùbá Prayer, part 1: IJUBÀ

The second post for Orì propitiation was getting very long so I’m going posting two posts on IWURE or the IṢẸSE concept of PRAYER first.

In order to teach a Western audience how to propitiate Spirit in the manner of the indigenous Yoruba, I’m going to introduce a few practical concepts.

IWURE, IBÀ and ORÍKÌ

IWURE is a broad general term for prayer in tradition of Isese. You might of heard of the word ALADURA, which is prayer in first the Islamic manner, then applied to Christianity. We don’t use the word ALADURA in our practice.

IWURE is used as an appeal to a particular spirit, whether it be an Ancestor, Òrìṣà, Ẹgbe Orùn, Awon Iyáàmi Osoronga or one’s own Orì. Implied in IWURE is an offering, some sort of sacrifice, however small, since our ancient Yoruba Ancestors lifestyle was based on RECIPROCITY. It is of the utmost impudence to ask for something and not offer something as at least a gesture of humility, respect or love.

When using IWURE to entreat Orisa, Èegun, Awon Iyáàmi Osoronga, Egbe Orun or Ori, there is a general structure. The main components almost always used in the context of IWURE as ritual are IBA and ORIKI

IBÀ

IBÀ means literally homage or praise. IJUBÀ translates to: “We give homage and praise”, MOJUBÀ is “I give homage and praise”. IBÀ is important since in order to request divine and conscious forces to lend support to our requests we must show humility and respect. IBÀ is the way our ancient Yoruba Ancestors taught us to acknowledge the spirits that bring blessings and abundance so as to elicit Their support.

ORÍKÌ

ORÍKÌ is the lyrical celebration of the qualities and accomplishments of someone. There are ORIKI for public heroes, chiefs, family lineages, towns and of course Òrìṣà. ORIKI is the poetic base of all Yoruba cultural verbal art. That’s not hyperbole. There’s a ton of scholarship on it. For our purposes, ORIKI are to be collected and learned to be used to influence and attract particular spirits to petition for Their support and blessings in our IWURE. ORÍKÌ are important because outside of ESE IFA (Ifá verses) they relate all the qualities and exploits of the Òrìṣà, and Egungun. Knowing ORIKI is to know your Òrìṣà and identifies the situations and circumstances they can assist one in outside of divination.

next post will provide an example, I promise

[nmaahc]

The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth

Photo:  Juneteenth day celebration in Texas. 1900. 

Juneteenth is one of the most important events in our nation’s history. On “Freedom’s Eve” or the eve of January 1, 1863 the first Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect.

At the stroke of midnight, prayers were answered as all enslaved people in the Confederate States were declared legally free. Union soldiers, many of whom were black, marched onto plantations and across cities in the south reading small copies of the Emancipation Proclamation spreading the news of freedom.

But not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. This meant that in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. On June 19, 1865 that changed, when enslaved African Americans in Galveston Bay, TX were notified by the arrival of some 2,000 Union troops that they, along with the more than 250,000 other enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree.

Photo:  Publishers throughout the North responded to a demand for copies of Lincoln’s proclamation and produced numerous decorative versions including this engraving by R. A. Dimmick in 1864. National Museum of American History, gift of Ralph E. Becker. 

The post-emancipation period known as Reconstruction (1865-1877) marked an era of great hope, uncertainty, and struggle for the nation as a whole. Formerly enslaved people immediately sought to reunify families, establish schools, run for political office, push radical legislation and even sue slaveholders for compensation. This was nothing short of amazing! Not even a generation out of enslavement, African Americans were inspired and empowered to completely transform their lives and their country.

In my opinion, Juneteenth (as that day was called by the freed enslaved people in Texas) marks our country’s second independence day. Though it has long been celebrated among the African American community it is a history that has been marginalized and still remains largely unknown to the wider public.

The historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of deep hope and urgent organizing in uncertain times. The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a community space where that spirit can continue to live on – where histories like this one can surface, and new stories with equal urgency can be told.

Tsione Wolde-Michael is the Writer/Editor for the Office of Curatorial Affairs, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. She is also a Doctoral Candidate in History at Harvard University.