America will celebrate 250 years this July 4, but what does that mean for Black Americans? Anniversaries are a time for reflection — a chance to look back and celebrate milestones and victories while mourning losses and holding on to hope for the future. However, as America stands to face its semiquincentennial on July 4, this anniversary may be conflicting for Black Americans, whose history on this soil is filled with trauma and pain as well as resilience and hope.