SHARE YOUR WORLD – 2016 WEEK 22 – HOLIDAY EDITION

On May 30, 2016 By dancingpalmtreesIn DeBorah, DeBorah Ann Palmer, Edward G. Palmer, Edward Gordon Palmer, Edward Palmer, Halloween, SHARE YOUR WORLD – 2016 WEEK 22 – HOLIDAY EDITION, Stephen, Stephen Vincent Palmer, Thanksgiving, Uncategorized, William Henry Halstead2 Comments

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SHARE YOUR WORLD – 2016 WEEK 22 – HOLIDAY EDITION

Every country in the world has lost men and women in some kind of Armed Forces. When does your country celebrate or mourn their deaths?

Today, May 30th. Here is some more information, background and origins of Memorial Day.

https://wlhs-ny.org/national-memorial-day-museum/

William Henry Halstead Headstone ~ Sleepy Hollow

William H. Halstead name as inscribed on the Colored Soldiers Monument in Washington, DC

What is your favorite holiday or holidays?

Halloween!! I also enjoy Thanksgiving because it involves food!!

How do you celebrate that holiday?

By dressing up!! Last year I was DeBorah the Huntress and Stephen was Robin Hood!!

Gratitude

I know the question was not included but I just wanted to say I’m grateful that I was able to spend time with my brother Stephen and that we were able to enjoy two movies. Both Captain America | Civil War and the X-Men Apocalypse were good action filled films! I’m also grateful that today I was able to see a performance by Dance Africa a program put on every year at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music). This year’s featured African country was Senegal. The dancers performed both traditional and modern African Dance! They were outstanding!!

Memorial Day 2013

On May 30, 2016May 31, 2016 By dancingpalmtreesIn Uncategorized9 Comments

I dedicate this old post to my Great Great Grandfather, William Henry Halstead, who fought in the Civil War.

Espiritu en Fuego/A Fiery Spirit

In December of 1863 my Great Great Grandfather, William Henry Halstead, who
lived in Tarrytown, New York, traveled to New Haven, Connecticut to join the
29th Connecticut Colored Infantry. On his Volunteer Enlistment papers it notes
his occupation as a farmer. He enlisted for three years and was discharged on the
24th day of October 1865. He married and had five children. William Henry
Halstead passed away in 1888 and was buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in
Tarrytown, New York. His wife moved to New York City with her five children.
Her children grew up in Harlem and belonged to various organizations such as Odd
Fellows, Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Daughters of New
York.

Special honor & glory to the Black soldiers, including my Great, great Grandfather William Henry Halstead, 29th Colored Regiment, CT, who served in the Civil War even though at first…

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Memorial Day

On May 30, 2016May 30, 2016 By dancingpalmtreesIn Double V for Victory, Uncategorized, Who Knows My Story or My Song2 Comments

Memorial Day

Memorial Day in America is a day set aside to Honor Veterans who have passed away and especially those who were killed in battle. So I dedicate this poem and verse to my Dad Edward Gordon Palmer, (Feb. 11, 1930 – May 13th, 1995) Rest in Peace Daddy. Living Veterans including myself get their special day on November 11th which we in the United States call Veterans Day.

Who Knows My Story or My Song

America You Know Not My Story Nor My Song.

Black, African, Native American, Asian, Hispanic.

We wore OD Green, camouflage, Dress Greens.

Now I wear a different uniform.

Once you saluted and proudly hailed my years of service with snarky sweet platitudes.

Now you curse and revile me. A Woman. A Man. Those Who proudly served Our Country have become less than the grass and dirt under our feet but remember it was we who cultivated your Land. The Land to which we shall all return. The Land We call America.

When?! When America will you see that Brown face as you sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, mothers & fathers.

I Love You America though you still don’t Love me. I Love you so much that even without the strength of my youth I would gladly serve you again for my ancestral bonds run deep within your soil.

Though you try you can never eliminate me or others like me for we are the fabric of human society. Creators of multiple galaxies and universes. We shall Live Forever.

Double V for Victory

Back in World War II Black soldiers fought for Double Victory. Victory overseas and Victory over discrimination and racism at home. As you well know African Americans have proudly served our country during all its conflicts despite never getting any recognition and returning to a country that despised us.

My Dad Edward G. Palmer served during the Korean War. Fortunately he did not go to Korea otherwise I would not be here today but Dad in his own way fought for Victory back home. I still remember my parents quietly talking at night about lynchings, the KKK and the murders of Civil Rights Workers. I was supposed to be asleep but I silently left my room to find out what they were discussing.

Dad hoped that my generation would have it better. There was some change thanks to the Civil Rights movement but even today Victory at Home is an elusive concept for Black Americans.

Just the fact that a few days ago some of us had a discussion on how we have to protect our developmentally disabled sons and brothers from being shot by the police speaks to that.

Some were killed in the various wars. However some died fighting for Victory here at home. A level playing ground eludes us. Every day racism and for women sexism and ageism will and has killed more of us than any war on foreign soil. I’m in that latter group.

As my Dad used to say, “The more things change. The more they stay the same.