Hope of Freedom

Hope of Freedom, originally uploaded by Stunnerj.

Today the island of Jamaica as well as many other Caribbean island celebrates Emancipation Day which is officially August 1. Today we commemorate the day when thousands of slaves gained that which they have yearned for for many years, their freedom, their emancipation. It was 176 years ago on August 1, 1834 that the blacks were emancipated from the oppressive grasp of slavery and began on a journey to achieve quality among all men.

The struggle for emancipation was a long bloody one here in pre-slavery Jamaica and other regions where the fabric of society was built on slave labour. It was because of the sacrifices of many heroes in our past who fought for not just their freedom, but also the freedom of their fellow slaves. Some paid the price with severe punishment while others made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives in the fight for what seemed to be an elusive dream of being free. This eventually became a reality when they were emancipated on that faithful first day in August. However, that was just the beginning.

Freedom Yearning originally posted by Stunnerj.

Freedom, didn't mean equality and with emancipation came yet another struggle, the fight to be seen as equal, with the same opportunities and rights as their former slave masters. A struggle that continues even now despite the milestones that have been set and surpassed in the many decades since emancipation. However, emancipation was the first step, a step that propelled a once oppressed race to achieve many feats despite the many downfalls along the way. If it was not for emancipation, a man of we would have never live to see a dream fulfilled when a black man became the leader of a country that was once a thrived on the back of slavery.

Now that we are physically free, we still have a battle to continue. A battle within, as Bob Marley said it, "emancipate yourself from mental slavery. Only we our selves can free our minds". Yes we need to free our minds to achieve our full potential and to live the dream of freedom, the dream of emancipation.