by James Melson | Jun 22, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
On Monday of this week, the nation observed its newest federal holiday – Juneteenth. Hopefully by now most people in our nation have learned the basic story of Juneteenth. It commemorates June 19, 1865 when the Union General Gordon Granger issued General Order...
by James Melson | Jun 15, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
On the night of June 11-12, 1963 two major events happened that impacted and symbolized the struggle for racial justice during the Civil Rights Movement. President John Kennedy gave a televised speech from the Oval Office in which he called out the reality of racial...
by James Melson | Jun 8, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
June is Pride Month when we lift up the struggles and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. Bayard Rustin embodied both. He was one of the most important organizers and leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, yet he was often forced to remain behind the scenes because...
by James Melson | May 31, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
On Monday of this week, our nation observed Memorial Day, a time to honor the lives of those who died in our country’s wars. There are several stories about the origin of Memorial Day, most of which go back to some form of “Decoration Day” when flowers were placed on...
by James Melson | May 25, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
During this week in 1796, a young enslaved woman named Ona Judge escaped from her enslavers. Their names were Martha and George Washington. He was serving as the first President of the United States. At the time, the capital of the new country was in Philadelphia, PA....
by James Melson | May 17, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
This past Sunday May 14 was Mother’s Day. This is normally a time to recognize and give thanks for our mothers and/or other women who shared their self-sacrificial love and nurture with us. In 1961, Mother’s Day was also on May 14. Yet that day would go down in...
