Juneteenth, According to Executive Director of Michigan Legislative Black Caucus

I went to the Lansing Capitol Building for a Juneteenth luncheon on Jun. 16, where I talked with Sherie J. Davy, Executive Director of Michigan Legislative Black Caucus.

Davy grew up in the north, but moved to Texas for a short while before returning to Michigan, she said.

"And I moved there in May, so people were starting preparations for Juneteenth, and I was clueless. I’m wondering, Juneteenth? In addition to which, I must confess, I thought it sounded a little country. Like Juneteenth? C’mon people now," Davy said with a laugh.

But Davy later was told by her friend who celebrated Juneteenth the history behind it.

"And, I thought at first, how horrible that there was a whole group of people that were not told that they were free. Everybody else, the other states had freed the slaves, and nobody had informed them," she said.

"As long as anybody is in chains, in slavery, then none of us are free. And because of that, I think that it’s probably-- if not on-- equal importance as we celebrate Fourth of July. We think about emancipation,  we should also realize there was nothing to celebrate until all our brothers and sister were able to say the same thing. That at least we were acknowledged publicly, officially, as free people," Davy said.

"So I think that that’s very important. I think that it should be something that is taught in the history books,” she said.

The History of Juneteenth

While many Americans were celebrating Father's Day, there were some Americans who were also celebrating another holiday, Juneteenth.

Juneteenth is an African American holiday that commemorates the freedom of the last group of slaves in the U.S.  Michigan became the 18th state to make Juneteenth an official state holiday. The holiday has become an official state holiday in 39 states, the latest of which being Nevada.

Although the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863, the last group of slaves were not freed until June of 1865.

Union Gen. Gordon Granger freed the last group of slaves in Galveston, TX, on June 19, 1865, and declared that the institution of slavery was offically dead in the U.S., according to the Texas State Historical Association.

The Juneteenth Committee of Lansing held celebration activities over the weekend of Jun. 16 - Jun. 18. The Lansing Capitol Building held a luncheon celebration, Lansing City Hall held the Kick-Off Program, and St. Joesph Park was the site for outdoor festival activies.

Haven House According to an Expert

Charles Steinberg of the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness described Haven House as the only family homeless shelter in the Lansing and Ingham County area.

“Each individual one (homeless shelter) has their niche, for Haven House the fact that they are specialized in intact families is their niche,” Steinberg said.

Some teenage boys in a homeless family may get sent to a teen shelter if the family went to a many of the other homeless shelters in the area, Bridgett Krebs, shelter manager at Haven House said.

“I am aware that in some cases if there is a teenage boy, they may not be allowed in to a shelter because they are around other children, and being sexually active, it can cause problems,” Steinberg said.

Haven House allows all ages of children from infancy to the age of 19, as long as the teen is still in high school. The main goal of Haven House is to keep the family together while they are solving their financial and housing situations, Krebs said.

Haven House Volunteer

MSU student volunteer Lynlee Kooistra found non-profit organization Haven House to be helpful to the Lansing and Ingham County community.

"I wasn’t aware that there were so many families who were struggling to get a roof over their head. And that there was a need in the community for people who need housing," Kooistra said.

Over October 2009 to the end of September 2010, Haven House has housed over 492 homeless individuals, and had to turn away another 796 homeless individuals due to lack of space, according to Haven House records.

Kooistra volunteered her senior year in fall of '09 for her PSY 371 class.

Update After the New Episode, "Crunchy Ice"

The latest episode of The United States of Tara spent the majority of it's entirety with Tara's abuser alter Bryce hitting the whole family hard with his crazy antics.

Tara's husband Max seems to still have faith in her, and still refuses to let anyone else in the family convince him otherwise.

Tara's sister Charmaine recommends Max put her in a mental clinic, but he won't allow it.

Tara's daughter Kate at first disagrees with Charmaine, but then decides it may help her mom.

Max and Charmaine's boyfriend Neil discover Tara's real abuser and half-brother Bryce Craine is dead. They take her to his grave, but her condition does not seem to change.

Tara's son Marshall and her abuser alter Bryce get into it, ending in a fight, which sparks Tara to come back out.

After this fight, Max & Tara decide it's best for her to stay at a mental clinic for a while.

The end of the episode came when on the way to the mental clinic, Tara asks Max to pull over and tell him she loves him. She then gets out of the car and jumps off a bridge, to avoid causing any more pain to her family.

Update Before the New Episode

Last time on The United States of Tara, The Gregson's were all told about the appearance of a new alter, Bryce. This alter is a version of Tara's real then-14-year-old half-brother & abuser Bryce Craine.

The Gregson's family members have reacted in different ways.

Tara's husband, Max Gregson, as always, is trying to help his wife. He is defending her while many of the other family member's are taking this abusive alter as the last straw.

Tara's teenage son, Marshal Gregson, has told his father he needs to leave. It is unknown where he is going.

Tara's teenage daughter, Kate Gregson, is diving into a new relationship with a divorcé who has a seven year old son.

Tara's sister, Charmaine, is debating about whether she should move now that she has a baby and wants to keep the baby out of danger.

The new episode is tomorrow night, Mon. 13 at 10:30 p.m. on Showtime.