As Black people, we experience Independence Day — the Fourth of July — differently. While America celebrates its freedom with fireworks, parades, and red, white and blue banners, we hold space for a more complicated truth. For us, the date is not simply a celebration of liberty — it’s a reminder of absence. In 1776, when this nation declared its independence, our ancestors were still enslaved. We were not considered free. We were not even considered fully human.
This truth makes our relationship with this holiday layered and deeply personal. Many of us reflect not only on America’s founding, but also on the cost we have paid to belong. We think of “I, Too, Sing America,” the powerful poem by Langston Hughes, in which he writes:
“They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.”
This poem is more than a protest — it’s a prophecy. It is about dignity, strength, and our rightful place at the table. But in today’s America, that place still feels contested. There are efforts across the country to whitewash our history, suppress our votes, and dismiss our voices. In a moment when some want to return to a so-called “great” America that never fully welcomed us, we are reminded that our presence here has always been an act of resilience.
That’s why this Independence Day, I urge us to think about freedom in a new way, not just political freedom, but economic freedom. Not just symbolic gestures, but strategic action.
As an estate planning attorney, I know the power of legacy. Legacy is not only what we leave behind, but it’s what we build now. It is a form of resistance and a blueprint for our future. When we protect our homes, our businesses, our life insurance, and our family values through estate planning, we are not just organizing paperwork, we are organizing power.
Too often, we assume estate planning is for the wealthy. But in truth, estate planning is for anyone who wants to make sure their family doesn’t lose what they worked so hard to build. It’s for the parent who wants to keep a roof over their children’s heads. For the entrepreneur who wants to pass their business to the next generation. For the elder who wants to preserve their home as a symbol of what was possible in spite of segregation, redlining and exclusion.
Inheritance is not greed — it is strategy. It is how communities sustain themselves across generations. It is how we move from surviving to thriving.
This Fourth of July, I challenge us to celebrate by planning. Create your will. Establish your trust. Talk to your parents. Educate your children. Build your family’s plan. Use every tool available to benefit you, your family, and to strengthen your entire community.
We, too, sing America. And through legacy, we make sure our song is never silenced.
If you are ready to take the next step in protecting your family and securing your legacy, connect with us at Life & Legacy Counselors. Our team is committed to helping Black families build wealth with culturally competent estate planning that honors your values, your history and your future. Let’s build something that lasts — together.