African-American jubilee: a recurring fifty year rejuvenation

Abstract

Jubilee is an occurrence known and celebrated by many different cultures and religions. It is also an African- American interpretation of the era directly after the Civil War, based on the common biblical interpretation of Leviticus 25:9-10. By examining civil rights primary documents every forty to fifty years from the Civil War to present day, Jubilee, or the idea of forgiveness and hope, is continually carried through. These documents from such famous figures as W.E.B. Dubois after the turn of the twentieth century in his book The Souls of Black Folk and moving speeches from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement show the importance of civil rights in their time period, and overtime, how the meaning of Jubilee evolved into a sign of progress for all. Jubilee is not just something of the past, but it is still continuing on today, transcending the color line, evolving into an American Jubilee.