re-re-reading in advance of platform decay coming out and am still noticing new things.

in this moment, secunit doesn’t tell us what the what the “actual emotion” is or what its expression looks like. but miki’s reaction makes it clear that it doesn’t look angry or annoyed… it looks scared. possibly even terrified. at the concept of a human touching it.

I jerked back a step. She stopped, startled. Miki turned. its visual sensors focusing in on me. I checked its camera and got a view of my face. I thought I had gotten good at controlling my expression, but apparently only when I wasn't feeling actual emotions. In our feed connection. Miki said, Abene won't hurt you, SecUnit.

Character design: SecUnit has light brown skin and wavy, neck-length hair. One eye is brown and one glows blue, and it has implants on its ears, jaw, and neck. It wears a black shirt, pants, and boots along with a long gray coat. Miki is significantly shorter than SecUnit and less humanoid. It is white with pink trimmings with a head, torso, arms, and legs. The bottom half of its body has a section that flares out like a skirt. It has a round face with two round ears and a set of antennae. On its face are large, shiny eyes, a smiling mouth, and pink blush circles. On its chest, Miki has a nametag and a screen that shows a smile. There are ports in its arms. Don Abene has brown skin and long black hair streaked with gray. She wears gold earrings, a yellow sweater, and brown trousers.

“Spent Juneteenth rereading ads taken out by formerly enslaved ppl looking for their family. Freedom was accompanied by so much grief.” Attached to the tweet are five photos of newspaper ads:

1. “Information wanted of my husband and son. We parted at Richmond, Va., in 1860. My son’s name was Jas. Monroe Holmes; my husband’s name was Frank Holmes. My son was sold in Richmond, Va. I don’t know where they carried him to. My husband was not sold; I left him in Richmond, Va. and I and five children, Henry, Gabriel, Charles, Dortha, and Jacob were sold to a trader who lived in Texas. I am now old, and don’t think that I shall be here long and would like to see them before I die. Any information concerning them will be thankfully received by Eliza Holmes, Flatonia, Fayette Co., Texas.”

2. “Information wanted. I would like to know the where abouts of my mother, who went by the name of Mary Jackson. She was owned by a man whose name was Allen Tyler, who lived three miles east of Brunestown[,] and was sold down south in 1846. The last time I heard of her, she was in New Orleans. Any information will be thankfully received by Matilda Harrison, Jeffersntown [sic], Jefferson Co., Kentucky.”

3. “Information wanted of my people—Jenny Moses, Mela Fields, Selia Fields, James Fields and Felix Fields. The first three are my sisters, the fourth is my brother and the last. ismy step-father. They all belonged to Charles Baren. My sister Jenny and myself were sold to Jack Felder. My sister Jenny was sold again to Buchanan. Any information concerning them or their children will be prayerfully received by me. Minder Latson, Postoffice, Brenham Washington Co., Tex. Rev. J. S. W. McLay.”

4. “Information wanted— Of my mother Rachel Embry. My name was Henrietta Embry when I was taken from home. I left my mother in Baltimore, Md., and came to Texas with Rutineth Baerafe, My name is Henrietta Anderson. Any one who can tell me where my mother is, I will reward them. Address me, care Rev. W. H. Anderson, San Angelo, Green Co., Tex.”

5. “Information wanted—Of my mother Mrs. Louisa Hacket. She was the wife of Lloyd Hacket. They lived in Prince George County, Maryland near Laurel Mills. There were two brothers, George and Greenberry, and sisters Annie, Carol, and Emily Hacket; have not seen them for nearly 44 years. Any information from these people will be gladly received by me. Address Mrs. Fanny Robinson, No. 1227 Bainbridge street, Philidelphia, Pa.”

Clint Smith’s thread continues: “As we commemorate Juneteenth, we should be sure to remember the enormous toll that 250 yrs of enslavement took on millions of families.” (7 comments, 650 retweets, 1,432 likes)

“Even after the Emancipation Proclamation & the end of the Civil War, most enslaved ppl who had been separated never saw their families again.” (42 comments, 913 retweets, 1,870 likes)

Please have a moment of silence for the people who were killed instead of freed when news of emancipation finally reached the furthest corners of the american south.

have another moment for the ledgers, catalogs, and records that were burned and the homes that were destroyed to hide the presence of very much alive and still enslaved people on dozens of plantations and homesteads across the south for decades after emancipation.

and have a third moment for those who were hunted and killed while fleeing the south to find safety across the border, overseas, in the north and to the west.

black people. light a candle, write a note to those who have passed telling them what you have achieved in spite of the racist and intolerant conditions of this world, feel the warmth of the flame under your hand, say a prayer of rememberance if you are religious, place the note under the candle, and then blow it out.

if you have children, sit them down and tell them anything you know about the life of oldest black person you've ever met. it doesn't have to be your own family. tell them what you know about what life was like for us in the days, years, decades after emancipation. if you don't know much, look it up and learn about it together.

This is Juneteenth.

Limpidly flow