by Jamil Ragland CTNewsJunkie
HARTFORD, CT – On the first day of Black History Month, the Pan African flag was hoisted over the state Capitol building for the first time.
Local leaders and dignitaries gathered in the Hall of Flags to celebrate the historic day. The Greater Hartford African American Alliance (GHAAA) spearheaded the effort
“In celebration of Black History month, we take great pride and honor in raising the African American flag,” said Bridgitte Prince, member and civil rights advocate for the GHAAA.
In a brief ceremony, speakers from the GHAAA spoke about the history of the flag. Afterwards, the flag was hoisted above the gold dome of the Capitol, with Gewnath Douglas singing the Black National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing.
“We wanted the flag to fly over the state capitol because other groups have had their flags fly here, and this is the first time ever that we could,” said rJo Winch, Vice President of the GHAAA. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to be part of this historic moment.”
“It’s important not just for adults, but for our children to see that flag. Our history is told by everyone else, so it’s important that we can tell our own stories too so that our children grow up proud of their own history.”
The Pan African flag, also known as the Afro-American or UNIA flag, was adopted by the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League in 1920. It’s adoption was a direct response to a popular racist song of the era, “Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon.” Marcus Garvey, founder of the UNIA and Pan African movement, saw the flag as an important symbol of Black pride.
According to the UNIA, the red color of the flag represents the blood that has been shed in pursuit of Black liberation. The Black color represents the people of the African Diaspora, and green represents the fertility and abundance of the Motherland.
Use of the flag has seen multiple resurgences during American history. It became a popular symbol during the Black liberation movements of the 1960’s and 70’s. In recent times, it saw a resurgence during protests against the killings of unarmed Black Americans by the police.
Connecticut has a long if mixed history with its African American residents. The famous Amistad trial took place in Connecticut. The blueprint for the NAACP was drafted by scholar W.E.B. DuBois in Hartford. Constance Motley Baker, the first Black woman to argue in front of the Supreme Court and be appointed as a federal judge, was born in New Haven.
These instances of racial progressivism must also be reconciled with Connecticut’s history of slavery and de facto segregation. From racial restrictive covenants that prevented Blacks from buying homes in the suburbs to school segregation which necessitated a court order to correct, there are stains on the history of the state which must be reckoned with. Today’s ceremony, and the flying of the Pan African flag, is another step in the right direction.