By ADAM BURKE
CREDIT PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF BEVERLY CUTHAIR
On Saturday, the United States recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday, commemorating the effective emancipation of African American slaves on the 19th of June, 1865. But the end of slavery was just one of the first steps on what has turned out to be a grudgingly slow path toward equal rights for Black Americans.
Today we’re bringing you a story from our ongoing series Native Braids–one Ute women’s account of her own awakening to the racism against African Americans.
Beverly Cuthair is a member of the Ute Mountain Ute tribe. She grew up in Towaoc, Colorado. As a young child she was insulated from the wider world in many ways. But during the 1960’s she began to learn about civil unrest happening in other parts of the U.S. Beverly turned to her mother for answers, and her mother did her best to find words in the Ute language.
Listen to Beverly’s story here, and many more, at nativebraids.org.
Native Braids is a co-production of KSUT Tribal Radio and independent producer Adam Burke.
