Controversial civil rights leader questions whether event represents Black Americans…
Rev. Al Sharpton is criticizing plans for the U.S. 250th anniversary celebration, arguing the Trump-backed initiative does not reflect or include Black Americans.
Sharpton, a longtime civil rights activist and founder of the National Action Network, said the upcoming “USA 250” celebration is not something he identifies with, reportedly describing it as “ain’t my party.”
As Mediaite reports, Sharpton said, “They’re going to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country July 4th, but that’s not our celebration.”
Sharpton argued the celebrations, which include Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events at the White House on July 4, are in poor taste.
“We were slaves then, and they celebrate signing the Declaration of Independence 1776. We were not even emancipated until 1863. So I don’t know what everybody getting ready for a celebration [for]. You know, it seems crazy for me to have on the birthday hat at your birthday party. That ain’t my party,” he said.
Sharpton accused Republicans like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) of burying history about race through the lens of attacking “woke” education points and he pushed for a rally separate from the president’s events in Philadelphia.
“We may need to do our own rally in Philly or somewhere that day because that’s not our background,” he said.
The USA 250 event marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, set for July 4, 2026.
Planning for the milestone has included:
- A congressionally created bipartisan commission (America250)
- A separate White House task force aligned with Trump (“Freedom 250”)
- Proposals for large-scale national events and celebrations
Critics have argued the White House-led effort carries a more political tone compared to earlier bipartisan planning.
They contend the anniversary should be viewed as a national celebration rather than a political statement.
With the anniversary fast approaching, debates over messaging and representation are likely to intensify.
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Guess what, Al, whites were slaves too, and blacks were many of the people who sold other blacks for the slave trade. The first slave owner in the US was black. We were all a part of it in the early years of our nation that now has overcome that. Al is having trouble overcoming and bettering ourselves, isn’t he?
Typical Sharpton, being the race-baiting P.O.S. that he is. If his ancestors had not come here as slaves, he would have been Lion Chow by now !
A shame really, but I wouldn’t want a lion getting sick because of him !
He is a race baiting bastard! He prefers to gripe about things that were wrong rather than celebrate the righting of the wrong. Slavery is wrong! We woke up and corrected that wrong in the USA, Black slaves existed in much if the world after the emancipation proclamation. Africa, the Middle East, and other places. He will not celebrate that we corrected the injustice, he uses it as a tool to enrich himself.