Sarah Palin and African Americans in Alaska

[Blue_In_AK]

I found a link to this on the Anchorage Daily News political blog this morning.

http://electronicvillage.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah-palin-and-african-americans-in.html

Villagers, my view is that character is measured by the things you do when nobody is looking. Do you wonder what vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was thinking about African Americans before she stepped onto the national stage?

The following is a statement from one of the Juneteenth Directors in Alaska:

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"As for Governor Sarah Palin's involvement in the African American community, the Governor's office hasn't participated in any of our Alaska Juneteenth Events. All previous Alaskan Governor's have traditionally attended and participated in our annual Juneteenth Celebration. Gov. Palin was the first governor not to send out a congratulatory letter or assist us in any way with our Juneteenth activities.

I didn't have the courtesy of receiving a reply when I asked for a representative from the Governor's office to come and speak at our Juneteenth Celebration if Governor Palin was unable to attend. I never even heard of Gov. Palin until she was elected Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, in Mat-Su Valley.

Governor Palin is a very energetic and spontaneous woman. With some of the things being said and going around this state right now, I'm surprised none of the national media have bothered to come here and get the words directly from the mouths of the people who have lived with her all of these years instead of 'surfing the net!'

My other opinion is why would an individual who, to my knowledge, has not hired any African Americans on her gubernatorial staff, insist so passionately on being on a television show owned and operated by an African American, Oprah Winfrey?

While meeting with Black leaders concerning the absence of any African Americans on her staff, Gov. Palin responded that she doesn't have to hire any Blacks and was not intending to hire any. What kind of attitude is this toward African American for who may be the first Vice-President of the United States?

I understand Oprah did have Senator Obama on her show a few times and was the main person raising funds for him "before" the presidency race was in full swing. However, the key point here is that it is Oprah's prerogative not be used as a pawn to tilt the vote one way or another. Oprah has stated repeatedly that she wasn't going to have one side or the other on her show by choice. I thought that was what the Civil Rights Movement was all about, a persons right to make their own choices. I guess this isn't a Democracy at all anymore."

Gwendolyn Alexander, President
African American Historical Society of Alaska
Alaska Juneteenth Celebration
P. O. Box 143105
Anchorage AK 99514
[phone]

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There are some interesting comments and links at the end.

[darius15]

1. I didn't know there were any AA's in Alaska!

[Blue_In_AK]

6. Four percent, I believe, according to the latest figures.

We do have a great Juneteenth celebration every year, though, in the Anchorage downtown Park Strip that a lot of people of all races in the community enjoy attending.

Coincidentally, here is an article from this morning's paper on Alaska's immigrant population. This may come as a surprise to many, but Alaska is actually a very diverse state. Anchorage's school district is 50-50 minority/white, and over 90 languages are spoken.

http://www.adn.com/anchorage/story/534116.html

***

As immigration has dwindled in other states, Alaska's immigrant population continues to grow slowly, increasing 4 percent, or close to 2,000 people, between 2006 and 2007, according to the census. The number of people living in Alaska who were born abroad has jumped 31 percent since 2000, from 37,170 to 48,928 in 2007.

Approximately 7 percent of the state population is foreign-born. The immigrant population is concentrated in urban areas, like Anchorage, where one in every 10 people is an immigrant.

***

[DangerDave921]

2. Two comments

1. What is Juneteenth?

2. Didn't P. Diddy say there aren't any black people in Alaska?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. Answers.

1. Juneteeth is a holiday celebrated originally by African Americans in Texas, although it is spreading. It celebrates the anniversary of an incident where slaves were forcibly freed well after the Civil War was over.

2. Yeah, but P. Diddy forgot about Steve.

[DangerDave921]

5. Thanks

In my 42 years I've never heard of that. And I live near Baltimore, which is majority black.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. It's been taking off in recent years.

More:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juneteenth

[Blue_In_AK]

7. According to the census figures,

Alaska is approximately 4% African-American -- that is, out of a population of roughly 660,000, there are about 26,500 African-Americans here, so Steve and a few others. One of my favorite AA Alaskans is State Senator Bettye Davis, who totally rocks. http://bettyedavis.com/

[BronxBoy]

11. Like to add to your answer

Many slaves in Texas were not told that they were free after the Emancipation Proclamation. June 19th (Bot sure of the exact date) represents the date, several years later, when these slaves found out they were actually free.

[LynneSin]

3. I know our govenor has done the Juneteenth festivals in Wilmington along with Biden

That's a pretty serious omission ESPECIALLY since it's a major celebration within the African-American community. You can't expect these politicians to attend every year but at least try to make it every few years. And Biden - he's a regular at many of these types of festivities.

[Blue_In_AK]

9. A bit of history on Juneteenth in Alaska

http://www.entertainmealaska.com/View.asp?ID=6336

[chelsea0011]

10. Jeesh. Palin ignores the AA but can get a video off to the secessionists and their convention.