racism

Debbie Ingram, Executive Director of VIA, and Josh Simon, Board President, interview Mark Hughes, Executive Director of Vermont Racial Justice Alliance, about the history of slavery in Vermont and efforts to pass Proposal 2 and remove slavery from the Vermont constitution.

More information at: (802) 651-8889 | office@viavt.org | www.viavt.org

From the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance:

There is general agreement that Vermont's motto is about the idea of balancing two seemingly opposite ideals: the personal freedom and independence of the individual citizen, with the common good of the larger community. Article 1 of the Vermont Constitution states that "all persons are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent, and unalienable rights." How do we reconcile that with the fact that Vermont was the first state to ever constitutionalize slavery.

Our guest is Debbie Ingram, Executive Director of Vermont Interfaith Action.

America's Favorite Pastime from its beginnings in the 1840's has reflected the contradictions of our country. The all-American sport was deeply racist and segregated with Black players kept out of all white teams until 1946 when Jackie Robinson was hired by the Montreal Royals.

Black players, along with Cubans, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, played on their own teams and in the Negro League until 1959 when white owners of white teams wised- up and saw the stunning athletic abilities of the Black and Latin players. Because the owners wanted to win and because some of them saw the moral contradiction of making baseball the all-American sport yet excluding many Americans based on the color of their skin, baseball finally became imtegrated. With the courage of Jackie Robinson and the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey, Jackie Robinson was hired by Rickey for the Brooklyn team.

This is the story of the Negro Leagues which were comprised of professional baseball teams of Black Americans and Latin Americans from the 1920's to the 1950's.

This discussion is moderated by Sandy Baird and features Tom Simon, Burlington Attorney, Baseball Historian, Member of the Society For Baseball Research and Ultimate Baseball Fan; Bill "Spaceman" Lee, former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, and the Montreal Expos, and the current pitcher for the Burlington Cardinals; and Karl Lindholm, Emeritus Dean of Advising and Assistant Professor of American Studies at Middlebury College and scholar and author regarding the Negro Leagues.

For more information about VICII: vicii.org

As recorded by English colonist John Rolfe, the arrival of “20 and odd” African men and women in late August 1619, was a pivotal moment in the nation’s history. These Africans were stolen by English privateers from a Spanish slave ship and brought to Point Comfort on a ship called the White Lion. African Landing Day does not celebrate the circumstances surrounding the arrival of the first Africans to our shores. The commemoration serves as a marker in history that shines a light on the incredibly powerful 402 year journey, and offers some hope in the continued struggle to dismantle the systems of oppression created by the original sin.

Vermont First African Landing Day was established by the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance to educate the public about the arrival of Africans in the United States; to recognize and highlight the resilience and contributions of African-Americans since 1619; and, to acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that enforced racial discrimination have on the United  States. It offers food, storytelling, dance, drumming, musical performances and more. Vermont First African Landing Day provides an opportunity for those who are interested to learn about the heritage, struggles and triumphs of the first Africans who were brought to the shores of what would become the United States.

Vermont First African Landing Day “2021”

This is a time for Vermont to join the global commemoration, to recognize and highlight the resilience and contributions of African-Americans since 1619 as we reflect upon one of the historical events that forever changed what would become the United States and the planet as we know it!

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