The News is…

By Kathryn Lively

Throughout the year our nation sets aside time for people to reflect upon our history, and to celebrate the momentous events and influential people who helped shape America into what it is today – the land of the free, and a prosperous world power. February is often acknowledged as Black History Month, while March for women’s history. June, however, extends the celebration for African-Americans as Juneteenth is observed.

It may sound like a made-up number, but Juneteenth actually dates as far back at the mid-nineteenth century, and rightfully so. Each year around the United States, Juneteenth celebrations mark the anniversary of the end of slavery in America – the emancipation of all African peoples brought to this growing country for labor and servitude. Normally celebrated on June 19th, Juneteenth festivities around the US – particularly the southern states – may last as long as week or even the whole month. Fourteen states have officially recognized Juneteenth as an official state holiday.

“Juneteenth” gets its name from a combination of the words “June” and “nineteenth,” as derived from that historical date in 1865. While the Emancipation Proclamation had been put into effect by President Lincoln two years prior, the Civil War still raged through the country, and the Rebel states which had seceded refused to acknowledge it. It took a bloody defeat by Union troops to secure the freedoms of those of African descent, and on the Juneteenth date in 1865, Union General Gordon Granger personally saw to the release of slaves in Galveston Island in Texas. The knowledge that they were finally free sent the now-former slaves into a frenzy of jubilation, and from this joy was born the first Juneteenth.

Since that time, Juneteenth has grown into an annual commemoration of that day, culminating in activities to be enjoyed by all Americans. One might expect to enjoy a variety of ethnic foods at a Juneteenth festival, along with musical acts, games, and reenactments. Where Juneteenth is recognized as a state holiday, celebrations might be sponsored by various cities, while other venues around the United States may hold smaller festivals.

Juneteenth, however, is more than an opportunity to celebrate African-American culture. It is also a time of reflection and remembrance. Area churches and libraries may use this time to offer seminars and films about this dark period in our nation’s history, and pay tribute to those who did not live to see the first Juneteenth. Religious services may be held to honor the pioneers who never gave up hope for freedom, and panel discussions may invite all to discuss ways to support African-American fellowship and business. Juneteenth offers the opportunity to connect and strengthen the spirit.

If you are interested in participating in a Juneteenth event in your area, or perhaps organizing one if one has yet to happen, an quick Internet search on “Juneteenth” will lead to a wealth of information on Juneteenth traditions, possible topics for educational seminars, and recipes to serve. As always, remember those you celebrate, and seek to create a positive celebration for future generations.

Kathryn Lively is The Write SEO, a freelance travel writer for Stafford County Tourism, where Juneteenth is celebrated in Rappahannock.

by Jennifer Jordan

Ah, the Fourth of July. The time of year when we celebrate America’s independence by dancing with sparklers, throwing barbeques, and going up to people from England and shouting, “Boo-yah!” This is the time of year we also get out our patriotic music, dust off our old CD’s or cue up the Ipod to listen to songs about the good ol’ US of A. Some of us might satisfy this craving by listening to the National Anthem, probably preferring Whitney Houston’s rendition to Roseanne Barr’s, but for those who believe “The Star Spangled Banner” is simply not enough, the following is our list of best Fourth of July songs, songs sure to light your fire cracker.

“America the Beautiful” by Ray Charles: Written by Katharine Lee Bates, a professor of English at WellesleyCollege, “America the Beautiful” was originally a poem penned on an 1893 trip from the East Coast to Colorado. The music of Samuel A. Ward, composed in 1882, was eventually fit to the words of Bates and “America the Beautiful” – as we know it – was born. Though this song has been covered by a plethora of artists, Ray Charles’s rendition is generally thought to be the most moving, the most memorable, and the one that does the song the most justice.

“God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood: A song that became America’s mantra after September 11th, “God Bless the USA” was written by country singer Lee Greenwood and released in 1984. Upon release, it climbed the country charts, topping off at number seven. The song itself is often played as a way to heighten patriotism and offer support and gratitude to those who have fought for our nation.

“Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan: Though not filled with overt nationalism, “Blowin’ in the Wind” subtly reflects on the freedoms America represents. Released by Bob Dylan in 1963, “Blowin’ in the Wind” serves as a song of protest, protesting lives lost and questioning war. The genius of the song lies in the fact that it doesn’t single out one specific event, instead it serves as an anthem for the ages, one that – with an always present desire for peace – has the potential to transcend generations.

“Independence Day” by Martina McBride: “Independence Day” was released in 1994 as a single that rose to number 12 on the country charts. The song not only serves as a tune about the Fourth of July, but it also serves as a metaphor for escaping an abusive relationship. “Independence Day” was ranked number 50 in the 2003 list of CMT’s 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music.

“Our Country” by John Mellencamp: A song that originally made us all want to go purchase a Chevrolet, “Our Country” eventually turned into an anthem for America. The images in Chevrolet’s commercials, images of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Twin Towers, worked to perpetuate this patriotism. “Our Country” appears on Mellancamp’s 2007 Freedom’s Road album, an album that debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 chart. This made Freedom’s Road the highest debuting album ever recorded by Mr. Jack and Diane.

Jennifer Jordan is a senior editor for http://iturbocharge.com. Possessing an infatuation with pop culture – and a gift for stalking – she keeps up on the latest news of the musical world.

By Steve Faber

It’s what everybody’s after; free, legal music downloads. In many cases it’s not only the fact that people want free downloads, it’s that they want their music to be unencumbered by DRM restrictions. Once they’ve downloaded their music, people want the ability to transport it to as many of their playback devices as they wish. The typical downloader today has a laptop, at least one desktop machine, a portable MP3 player, and possible an MP3 / WMA enabled head unit in their vehicle(s). Most consumers would like to be able to burn their music onto a CD for archival or playback on other devices that don’t support any of the download formats, like a traditional CD player.

The requirements of DRM that limited them from being able to freely use their music in any or all of these devices was a prime consideration in their desire to obtain free, legal music downloads. It’s typically not all about the money. There’s more in play when it comes to downloads. After all, consumers have shown time and again they are more than willing to pay a fair price for a product or service if it meets their needs and expectations.

A 2005 survey of European Internet consumers by the Indicare Project revealed that 40% listened to music on MP3 players and 69% listened to music on their computers, but many were confused by DRM restrictions. Most surveyed expected to be able to transfer and burn their music downloads, and were “confused and annoyed” when unable to. With the rising popularity of not only music downloads, but the increasing popularity of video and movie downloads, this problem is likely to grow worse.

The recent announcement that Amazon.com and EMI that they would be releasing legal music downloads with no DRM restrictions seems to bear out the fact that such restrictions are actually of dubious benefit to the recording and movie industries, despite vicious prosecution of many downloaders by industry associations such as the RIAA. In fact EMI is the 4th largest record label group in the world, and you can be sure they have studied the DRM / downloading issue ad nausem.

The reality of the situation is that consumers want to be able to do with their downloads as they please, especially if they’ve paid for them, and the restrictions posed by DRM are actually hurting the industry. Unless it can be shown that a substantial percentage of those who availed themselves of free music downloads would have actually purchased similar content had they not downloaded the music some other way, the music industry will suffer by continuing to impose such restrictions. Actually the number of people who avoid DRM encumbered, legal downloads altogether due to portability issues will continue to contribute to the decline in music sales, when music downloads should be creating a much larger revenue stream for the recording industry and the artists.

You want to join the millions of people that are able to download free, legal music? You want it to be fast, have a large selection and free from some of the spyware, malware and viruses you’ll find at some of the seedier locations on the Internet? Most people would, too. To discover the secrets to free, legal music downloads, go to the free legal music download guide.