Little Steven’s Day — 500 Years Since the First Black Stepped Foot in North America
The 500 Year Holiday Celebration of Overcoming and Discovery
I need your help. We don’t have much time. 2026 marks the 500th year when slavery and black exploration was introduced into the continental United States. We need to come up with a name and formal for this.
You can help found this holiday.
In 1526 the first slave set foot in Florida. Estevanico, or “Little Steven”, who’s name predates rock-n-roll but seems to have that flavor, arrived that year to become the first African to set foot into the North America in Florida by some accounts. Some say 1527. But let it go to the first accounts.
There would be no United States for another 250 years. The British colonists would some later with slaves. But the Spanish came first. As a first slave, he was more than that, as the institution had hardened into strict ownership, work, forced breeding and family separation. In a way, it was “slavery light,” that slaves could earn their freedom, and Estevanico was free before and after, and during his slavery was a co-explorer. From the captor's perspective, there was still some observed humanity.
In a way, starting from this early account of slavery not only allows us to broaden the dialogue of slavery in America, but give humanity to it and put in it in perspective. It is not a good perspective: progress of the institution of slavery started as an idea to justify the capture of blacks and other “races” for forced labor and deliberate dehumanization to make the economic practice palatable to the king and pope. When before there was just one “race” — biologically compatible, the human race — there were now two. The Church could not endure slaving of fellow humans, but could do allow non- or sub-humans, and then still gain taxes that would roll in from Portugal. In other words, the beginning of racism was as racist as it became.
To gain popularity among the current American mindset, my instinct would be to call it “Little Steven’s Day: Five Hundred Years of New World Blacks.” Although slavery itself was a horror, his life started as a freeman for 20 years, and he did appear to be an explorer in this expedition.
Some called him the “the first great African man in America.” However true that might be, note that he was born in Africa in 1500 but not taken captive and made into a slave until 1521 when he was bought in 1522 by a Spanish “nobleman.” (I doubt there is anything noble about buying a captured a man just enslaved). But Little Steven was an explorer as well, never forgetting his freedom and turning his capture into a chance for discovery. He died in the wilds of New Mexico while exploring that area reportedly as a free person, having left slavery behind him.
In that regard, it can be marked as a Celebration. I would hate to be glum about labelling the holiday as actually the introduction of slavery, though that shouldn’t be left out. But he was more than that, and so are blacks. 500 years is a mixed history full of horror and tragedy for blacks in the US, no question. But the triumphs are notable too. More and more black history emerges, and every black history month now brings out triumphal stories that inspire.
Perhaps it can take place at or near Fort Mose Historic State Park, the site of the first free black settlement in North America, dated around 1735. The freed slaves had their first black military officer who led military raids on the Carolinas and Georgia. That certainly marks a reason to celebrate. Freedom, power, fighting white power and kicking butt of angry Southern white racists. Who could resist celebrating that?
Well, the answer is clear: the Florida Nazis who were protesting in Florida the last days of January 2022 (they were literally Nazis, not being figurative or name calling here). But they are small in number. Planning a nearby ruckus with fireworks and thousands of blacks from across the country would dwarf their anger. I can see hundreds of thousands coming, and I’d go myself — I think plenty of whites and other “ethnicities” will come. I don’t want to use the word race, “other races” will come, since there is biologically only one race, the human race, and that’s a biological fact, not a sly joke. It’s a reminder we need.
There also needs to be a massive celebration, too. Something joyous, not just serious. The big events of black “movements” have been great and inspirational — the historically large and peaceful Black Lives Matter marches in the summer of 2020, the Million Man March, Martin Luther King’s speeches and successful movement, etc. Many of these are history book lessons vital to our country’s continuous growth toward full democracy and inclusion and respect to each individual.
But peaceful gatherings don’t have to be in protest and a reaction to repressive white tactics to politically threaten and silence the voices of minorities. The celebratory nature should not be political to be successful in this case. History is for all to mark. Political parties and money only detract from the legitimacy of events marking historical events. And slavery and free blacks in America start with the Spanish and British, long before “America” was born. The roots are deeper in the New World. In fact, one rule then: no political leader would be allowed to speak.
Another rule: Don’t come if you don’t plan to celebrate. No mourning, no violence. Peace, not protest. There does not have to be a central speaker, a central stage, and black rap artists commandeering the central stage because of corporate backing. Place many small stages over a very wide area through a county, for example, allowing for theater, dance troupes, jazz, speeches, and seminars (just remember rule one). The grilling, music, getting together, barbecuing, fireworks, tents, peaceful meet ups and family reunions would be momentous. Disciplined organization of peace would be essential — ban guns, weapons, and drugs. Make sure no undercover ‘confederates’ from the FBI come to undermine it. Allow for plenty of family meet ups. Maybe have Ancestry, other similar orgs, and Dr. Henry Gates sponsor by enlisting PBS to chronicle a special documentary for the holiday’s first founding, and have talks by other scholar, poets (Ms. Amanda Gorman headlining again please!).
Sure, add in some serious notes about the first slave trading site built in St. Augustine. A message of the history or struggle. But struggle means rising up, overcoming, constantly. Show those American supremacists a celebration and how vastly outnumbered they are, how unimportant they are in the face of the pursuit of happiness. Not reacting to their outrage but celebrating next to them in mass numbers is far more effective, and healthy for the celebrants than reacting to them. As my pacificist 87-year-old mother told me, “The best revenge is a life well lived.”
Party on.
