• Home
  • Archive
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • May 29, 2025

The Madison Times

The Paper That's More Than Black and White

  • News
    • Local News
    • National News
    • International News
    • Sports News
    • Education News
  • Columns
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Life Lessons with Alex Gee
  • Events
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Lifestyle
  • Classifieds
  • Community
    • Middle Spread
  • Milwaukee
EXCEPT WHERE INDICATED, THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ON THIS PAGE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE MADISON TIMES

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Freedom Isn’t Free: Reflections on Juneteenth

June 22, 2024

By LaKeshia N. Myers

Representative LaKeshia Myers

Juneteenth is a wonderful celebration; a time to remember our ancestors’ plight for freedom.  A time to reflect on the costs of the freedoms we enjoy today.  A time to renew the fight for freedoms we have yet to earn or are at risk of losing.  On this Juneteenth Day, I remember Maggie Lena Walker.  Maggie Lena Walker was the founder of the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in Richmond, Virginia.  Created as a subsidiary for the International Order of St. Luke (IOSL), a fraternal organization.

Numerous reasons compelled African Americans to open and patronize banks within their own community.  Racial stereotypes discouraged many white bankers from loaning money to African Americans, fearing that loans would never be repaid.  If Black customers were issued loans, they were often charged a higher rate of interest than white customers.  While many white-owned banks accepted deposits from Black customers, some did not.  These white bank managers feared that Black customers would scare away white patrons.  Mrs. Walker understood that using white-owned banks in such an environment merely served to “feed the lion of prejudice.”  By patronizing Black-owned banks, African Americans in Richmond kept money in their own community and gained economic empowerment.

This is important to remember in 2024, because just last week a federal court ruled that the Fearless Fund, a venture capital fund designed to fund Black women, cannot resume making grants to Black women-owned businesses.  The ruling sided with an anti-affirmative action group that sued over the program.  Critics say Fearless Fund is violating the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which was enacted to ensure protections for formerly enslaved people.  While the law was adopted with formerly enslaved Black people in mind, courts have interpreted it for decades as protecting white people from racial discrimination as well.

While we celebrate, I hope we all remember the meaning and responsibility of Juneteenth.  The fight for civil rights has never been won.  We are still engaged.  The battle landscape is continuously changing.  Freedom isn’t free.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Popular Interests In This Article: Juneteenth Day, LaKeshia N. Myers

Read More - Related Articles

  • Mental Health Matters: Understanding National Mental Health Awareness Month
  • Saluting America’s Teachers: The Backbone of American Democracy
  • The Shedeur Sanders Controversy: Exposing the NFL’s Plantation Mindset
  • Black American Architects: Building America’s Skylines Against All Odds
  • NAACP ACT-SO: A Legacy of Excellence


Connect With Us

Become Our Fan On Facebook
Find Us On Facebook


Follow Us On Twitter
Follow Us On Twitter

Editorials

Karma Chavez
Amanda Zhang
Julianne Malveaux
Benjamin Chavis
George Curry

Journalists

Jacklin Bolduan
Brianna Rae
Aarushi Agni
Rob Franklin
Claire Miller

Topics

Brown Girl Green $
Young Gifted & Black
Universally Speaking
Ask Progress
Civil Rights

Topics

Police Shooting
Police Brutality
Black Lives Matter
NAACP
Racism

Politicians

Barack Obama
Hillary Clinton
Gwen Moore
Paul Soglin
Scott Walker

Contact Us

Phone:
414-449-4860

Copyright © 2025 Courier Communications. All Rights Reserved.
We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.