In the African-American community events do not require official sanction. 
Given the history of repugnance among whites to the presence of blacks, if 
black people chose to attend a public place on a particular day, it would 
become part of the unofficial telegraph of the white people to avoid that 
place on that day.  Assuming only that the facts stipulated below are true 
about the National Zoo, it is easy to see how that particular day became a 
blacks only day at the Zoo.

In this regard, in one of her early novels, I think it is Sula, Toni 
Morrison makes a similar point.  Early in the history of a small Ohio town, 
the people in the black district proposed that a central street in their 
area be called Doctor Street, because the only black doctor in town lived 
and practiced on that street.  The town fathers, of course, rejected this 
suggestion.  Thereafter, the street was always known locally as "not 
Doctor's Street."

Harold S. Forsythe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Terry" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2007 7:28 PM
Subject: Re: Violent holidays (was Re: Juneteenth)


> In a message dated 6/22/2007 6:58:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
>> Didn't the National Park Service have to cancel its annual African 
>> American
>>
>> Family Day at the National Zoo in DC because of all the shootings and 
>> rapes
>> that  occurred each year during that event?
>>
>> By the way, where does the National Park Service get the right to limit 
>> the
>>
>> use of a national park, the National Zoo, to only members of a designated
>> minority group anyway?
>>
>> Basil
>>
>>
> ---
>
> The annual African American Family Day at the National Zoo in DC has 
> existed
> for more than 100 years as an informal community tradition. In 1993, it 
> was
> made an official event.
>
> The Zoo does not exclude others (just as the US does not exlude
> non-secretaries during National Secretaries Day).
>
> There was an incident in 2000 of youth gangs having an altercation at the 
> Zoo
> which was pretty bad.
>
> (BTW, we have a Japanese friend, from Japan, who wanted to visit us in 
> Prince
> Georges County, contiguous to D.C., but was apprehensive at doing so 
> because
> of  the rapes and murders occurring in DC & PG every minute or so.  He did
> visit, but we kept quiet about our [shhh...don't tell] Negro neighbor.)
>
> B&R
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
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>
> **************************************
> See what's free at http://www.aol.com.