Friends, I have had one of my urges to ask the Mastodon community to support a cause, Free DC, the organization spearheading the fight for DC’s rights to govern itself and to be free from Trump’s authoritarian martial occupation.
Learn about Free DC at https://freedcproject.org/
Donate via the Mastodon for Free DC portal here https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mastodonfreedc.
Now, some reasons you may want to put a few bucks toward this cause…. 1/
The fight to protect D.C.’s Home Rule and for its statehood has a long history. The DC public radio channel WAMU did a series about this history. Here’s the first entry. https://dcist.com/series/dc-home-rule-50-years/
But the fight for DC’s political autonomy connects to a bigger role the District has played in the great American fight to realize the promise of the Declaration of Independence. 2/
Maryland and Virginia, both slaveholding states ceded the land that became the District of Columbia. Right from its inception black people were a major part of the population.
“The territory surveyed by Ellicott was ceded by Maryland, a slave state, and Virginia, the Southern state with the largest slave population, thus contributing to a significant Black presence in Washington.” https://www.britannica.com/place/Washington-DC/History 5/
Washington, D.C. - Capital, Founding, Monumental: Washington was established as the capital of the United States as the result of a compromise following seven years of negotiation by members of the U.S. Congress as they tried to define the concept of a “federal enclave.” On July 17, 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, which created a permanent seat for the federal government. George Washington, the country’s first president (1789–97), carefully chose the site, which is on the Potomac River’s navigation head (to accommodate oceangoing ships), and near two well-established colonial port cities, George Town (now Georgetown, a section of the city of Washington) and Alexandria, Va.
“The District of Columbia, which became the nation’s capital in 1791, was by 1862 a city of contrasts: a thriving center for slavery and the slave trade, and a hub of anti-slavery activity among abolitionists of all colors.” https://emancipation.dc.gov/page/ending-slavery-district-columbia
Because DC was wholly under Congressional control until well after the Civil War, abolitionists saw the importance of Congress ending slavery in the District - making a statement about the place of slavery in the U.S. national identity. 7/
This booklet describes events related to the abolition of slavery in Washington, DC, which occurred on April 16, 1862, nearly nine months before the more famous “Emancipation Proclamation” was issued. The District of Columbia, which became the nation’s capital in 1791, was by 1862 a city of contrasts: a thriving center for slavery and the slave trade, and a hub of anti-slavery activity among abolitionists of all colors. Members of Congress represented states in which slavery was the backbone of the economy, and those in which slavery was illegal.
This booklet describes events related to the abolition of slavery in Washington, DC, which occurred on April 16, 1862, nearly nine months before the more famous “Emancipation Proclamation” was issued. The District of Columbia, which became the nation’s capital in 1791, was by 1862 a city of contrasts: a thriving center for slavery and the slave trade, and a hub of anti-slavery activity among abolitionists of all colors. Members of Congress represented states in which slavery was the backbone of the economy, and those in which slavery was illegal.
Now, we can show we too appreciate the significance of a free DC in the context of our nation-wide fight against fascist authoritarianisms and for pluralistic democracy. We can support Free DC, the organization leading the effort to protect and promote the District’s autonomy. This is why I have created Mastodon for Free DC, where you can donate directly to Free DC. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mastodonfreedc
Free DC site https://freedcproject.org/
Let’s go! 11/11
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