The freedom to do so is not despite the sacrifices made by those brave heroes. Rather, it is because of them. Dave Del Camp is a retired merchant marine engineer and part time blogger.

That moment of freedom will be commemorated at the Booker T. Washington National Monument with special events from June 19-22.

1. Draft Your Financial Declaration (aka Make a Plan) Thomas Jefferson didn't just wing it when he penned the Declaration of Independence -- and neither should you when it comes to your money.

“The moment of freedom opens an entirely new life for him. As a young boy, all he wanted was the education that he saw the children of his white enslavers getting. This moment of emancipation ...