In the Mayor of Salem MA's own words to 'GBH Radio, Dominick Pangallo, speaks his truth on how he values the history of Negro Election Day. 

 

He labeled it "It's a day of families gathering for cookouts and music and games and community celebration. 

 

A.  If it's just music and games, what about the Vendors that have been coming since the 1700's, they called it selling their wares back in that era.    These vendors come to give information that uplift, educate and inform.  As well, it is a chance to help black independent businesses that do not have brick and mortar businesses and need the exposure.  Also, people like American Heart Association and other nonprofits are able to get information into the black/American Freedman communities.  Why did he exclude this information.

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B.  If it's just music and games, what about the annual parade that dates back to 1639 and was part of the original Negro Election Day.  These Black Kings and Governors marched on the Boston Common with the Ancient and Honorary Artillery Company. 

The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts is the oldest chartered military organization in the western hemisphere. Its charter was granted in March 1638 by the Great and General Court of Massachusetts Bay and signed by Governor John Winthrop.  With that, the Negro Election Day parade was part of this General Election Holiday a year after its beginning.   Why was this historical part of Negro Election Day devalued by being excluded?

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(c) If it's just music and games, what about the talent of live entertainment that comes annually.  Are their dedication, sometimes performing for free not of any worth.  A large part of the festival since 1700's has been the coronation of the Black King and Black Governor and the honoring of his election with a celebration.  This celebration allowed the introduction of the banjo and the drum, which were established by enslaved people from Africa.  Why was this historical part of Negro Election Day devalued by being excluded?

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(d) The mayor calls it Black Picnic.  Black picnic is a sir name of Negro Election Day when Negro's were re-categorized from Negro to Black.  It is very disrespectful to not call the "Historic Day" by its legal name "Negro Election Day", and to devalue its annual celebrations worth as a simple "COOKOUT".   Its status as a Holiday, dates back to 1831 when it was legally recognized as a "Principal Holiday" by the General Court of Massachusetts, then advancing to a State Holiday in 2022 by Govenor Charlie Baker?  Why was this historical part of Negro Election Day devalued?

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(e) The mayor labeled a historical 387-year festival a Black Picnic and said, "it's not an organized event.  By saying it is not organized, he is ignoring the relevance of our ancestors who fought for their rights to build a legacy for future generations.  How could he discard the years of the black community hosting Negro Election Day, from the enslaved Africans who brought Democracy to America, the Black Kings and Governors who fought to maintain it, the black churches that brought their communities to unite in one location, the black organizations that built on to the legacy, to Salem United who has fought to keep it in the hands of the black community.  All the hosts who have been dismissed, defamed and devalued through 7 seconds of deceptive information. 

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(f) The mayor labeled Negro Election Day as "It is just an organic kind of grassroots community originated event".  The word "grassroots" means, (1) ordinary people regarded as the main body of an organization's membership, and (2) The most basic level of an activity or organization.  Unless the mayor does not understand English, a grassroots community is an organization.  In his own words he is contradicted himself by saying it is not organized when it is actually organized by the black community. 

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As well, with saying "It is not organized", he is saying the black never organized their events, from a man named, Prince Hall, or a woman named Elizabeth Freedman also known as Mum Bett to historians and the enslaved Black Kings and Governor.  Their stories and the documents of the narratives are false and the mayor is right. 

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