Posted on 06/15/2005 11:57:43 PM PDT by bayourod
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States
From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.
Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long over due. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.
It's to the blacks as Bastille Day is the the French, Columbas Day to Italians, St. Patricks Day to the Irish, Cinco De Mayo to Hispanics, New Years to the Chinese, Boys' Day to the Japanese, something or other to Brits etc...
It's fun and it shows respect for other's cultures. A politician will make more inroads by just going to a Junteenth picnic and having fun than he will by all the speeches and ads to black organizations at election time. Take the kids.
The bar-b-que may be the best you've ever had. Pay for a couple extra plates and tell them to give them to those what don't have. It won't look like pandering, it's expected by those what have.
Is this a vanity, a rant, or what?
(Hi Octavia, where ever you are)
If I remember correctly, Abraham Lincoln was a Republican.
Yes it is big here in Texas, never heard of it before I moved here almost 30 years ago.
Impeccable memory! Your point being, what?
Happy Juneteenth, bayourod! May these blessing abound!
There may be a few very elderly blacks still alive who never switched to the Democrat party after FDR. I met one about thirty years ago who would never under any circumstances vote Democrat.
Jim Crowe were Democrat laws. George Wallace won the Democrat primary in Michigan, not the Republican one. We ran Buchanan out of our party, the Democrats still honor "Sheets" Byrd.
But if you go to a Juneteenth celebration leave your politics at home and just have fun. Your presence and demeanor will speak for itself. Telling someone you're not a racist is like a used car dealer telling some one "trust me."
I did a Google search under Juneteenth and there were 649,000 entries. Maybe it's an under the radar thing that the main stream press refuses to acknowledge, but the notices of events that came up under Google were for places all over the U.S. and world. In some northern states even, it's an official state holiday.
"Juneteenth"?
Okaaayyy...
see post #9.
In 2003, the District of Columbia passed legislation to recognize Juneteenth as a district holiday observance.
Many more states, including Oregon, South Dakota, Mississippi, Michigan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Montana, Wisconsin, Maryland, Virginia and Colorado have recognized Juneteenth through state legislative resolutions and Gubernatorial Proclamations.
http://www.juneteenthanniston.homestead.com/Anniston Alabama
www.juneteenthamerica.us Southern California
www.buffaloNew York
www.juneteenthfilmfestival, Dallas
http://www.juneteenthminnesota.org/Minnesota
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/pgjuneteenth.htm Austin
http://www.stocktonafricanamericanchamber.org/San Joquin
http://www.thesoulofsandiego.com/juneteenth/San Diego
http://www.juneteenthlegacytheatre.com/jamboree.htmKentucky
Ithaca, N.Y.Just do a Google search foe celebrations in your home town.
My kid and I stumbled into a Juneteenth fest a couple years ago when I took the wrong exit off the NY Thruway. We were trying to find a place to turn around and get back on, but smelled the grill and parked instead. Good music, good food and happy people.
Here in Austin, our Black Republican club will have a "float" in the Juneteen parade. It's a first for us here. We're trying to recruit Blacks to give the Republican Party a fair look
Now there's a turn of phrase I'd be proud of.
Speaking of Juneteenth, I grew up in New England and, while nowhere near as big a deal as it is in Texas, Juneteenth was recognized all of my life up here.
to me, what's funny about Juneteenth WORLDWIDE is that June 19th is the day slaves in TEXAS learned of the emancipation proclamation which had been made almost TWO YEARS earlier. In other words, the biggest and best celebration is two years late and on the wrong date!
It should be more widely known and remembered and that fake anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-white Kwanzaa should be forgotten.
I remember as a child in Texas - all blacks took the day off. there was no need for the 'gov'ment' to declare a holiday. Everyone recognized it as such.
Yes, this was two years prior and the rest of the South was aware of it.
In Texas, the whites knew of the proclamation, but it as a secret that was kept from the slaves.
After that Yankee General landed in Galveston as the begining of occupation by the North, word spread from the docks that Lincoln had freed the slaves in the SOUTH (not up North). It took about four days for word to be passed through out Texas from slave-to-slave.
.
bump for a good post
I suspect that the reason the Northeastern liberal media has never reported on Juneteenth, even though the black community has always celebrated it, is because they look down on blacks for saying "Juneteenth" instead of "June Ninethteenth". On the other hand, maybe it's good that the MSM hasn't corrupted it. As long as Hillary doesn't know about the celebrations in N.Y. will probably be fun events.
It's unfortunate that the liberals don't recognize the right of blacks to celebrate their own culture in their own way instead of trying to force them to observe some phony, fictional holiday that fits the Jewish pattern.
I heard of this, but, not surprisingly, it's not big where I am, rural, largely white. It sounds like it's a celebration that needs to be encouraged nationally - a day to celebrate the end of slavery. Instead of, oh, say, Kwanzaa. Ping.
I think Juneteenth makes more sense than kwanzaa. However, kwanzaa appeals to the poor,angry inner city black person imprisoned by democrat policies. That anger is fanned by opportunistic black politicians with personal agendas. Juneteenth is about freedom and getting one's independence. What's kwanzaa about? It's am atheistic,communistic holiday.
True enough, I heard of it first when I was in school in upstate NY. But not here in NW PA. The farther Hillary stays from the Juneteenth festivities, the better, she would surely suck all the joy out of it. LOL.
"The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights, and rights of the property owners between former master and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer."
However, kwanzaa appeals to the poor,angry inner city black person imprisoned by democrat policies.
A poor black person whose anger is no doubt fanned by the very democrats who then exploit them. I remember speeches from my youth from dems who pledged to end the new slavery, the projects and welfare. They blamed it on the republicans. Yet, after years, decades even, of dem presidents and dem house or senate majorities, this group of black, inner city, poor democrats seems larger and more angry. How can that be, one could ask, because of all the efforts of dems to 'help' them? But we know the answer - the dems like it that way, it's their gravy train. It's one of the things that cemented me into the republican party.
That anger is fanned by opportunistic black politicians with personal agendas.
Who get rich and fat and move to the burbs without ever really effecting any substantial changes to the community that moved them into power.
The urban growth and renewal in Harlem is cited as a dem victory, at least that's the word that trickles down to me. Yet this renewal occured during the Guiliani years. How could that be? Wouldn't those evil republicans try to stop such growth? (Not.) Slick Willy likes to take credit for it and publically opened an office in Harlem after his term ended, yet rumor is he was rarely ever there and after Hillary won, the office quietly closed. Hmmm. Some help, some presence to the community that stood beside him. Meanwhile, the Guiliani era renewal continues, without recognition.
What's kwanzaa about? It's am atheistic,communistic holiday.
It sure is. It reminds me a little of Scientology. It's not a cult, but it is an invention of some author who claims it's something it's not, a kind of false holiday celebrating nothing at all, really. Africa has so many different cultures and traditions, isn't it kinds of insulting to kind of gloss them over into one generic 'holiday'? Kind of like the EU lumping all the cultures and traditions of Europe into one generic label, all for the money.
Agreed 100%
This year Juneteenth (June 19th) coincides with Father's day and I plan to make the most of it. I guess a lot of non-Texans have not heard of this but it is a great way to celebrate the abolition of slavery and unity among all Americans. Let Freedom reign!
Don't forget to note that "Juneteenth" is on father's day this year........
I think their is a lot of confusion about Juneteenth, I celebrate it by driving around town in Lucille. A lot of folks I know have changed their surnames and gone back to their African names, which are a lot of times taken from the village our ancestors came from. My last name, "Roosevelt" was given to my great great great Grandfather Kunta Roosevelt. His name was previously Kunta Kinte but I like the name Roosevelt and will keep it the same.
HUNTSVILLE TEXAS:
June 19
This event is geared to those of us who would like to end all of the days festivities with dancing and meeting new people. The event is Ntrepid Entertainment Presents. Walker County Juneteenth Bash. The Event will be going on from 10pm - Freedom. The event will take place at The American Legion Hall Post 95( Bingo Hall) On the corner of Hwy 75 North and FM 2821
June 19
Heritage Chorale ready to celebrate Juneteenth
Adopting a tradition from the freed slaves of Galveston in the 1860s, the Huntsville Heritage Chorale is putting the finishing touches on its first Freedom Feast. The meal will be one component of the chorale's second annual Juneteenth Concert on Saturday at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum.
"Most people know about the Union troops reading the Emancipation Proclamation on that great day in 1865, but few people have followed up on what our freed brothers and sisters did afterward," Williams said. "They could have easily looted and sought revenge, but rather they gathered their little bits together, prepared a meal on the grounds of their churches and collectively thanked God for the blessed gift and American right we call freedom."
"We felt it was important to make this year's concert more than just musically memorable or acoustically acceptable, but rather socially symbolic," said program coordinator George Oliver. "We believed deep down that if this community could sit together at the table of fellowship, perhaps some of our problems might get solved."
The effort to organize the feast was led by Dorothy Henderson, a local caterer and long-time food preparer for the Walker County Sheriff's Department.
"We're still out there beating the bushes and could use a few more donations, but we're getting close to our goal," Henderson said. "We couldn't have done any of this had it not been for the generosity of Huntsville's great community of faith."
The meal, consisting of foods prepared and donated by local churches and businesses, will kick off the Heritage Chorale's evening festivities at 5:30 p.m. It will take place on the grounds of the museum, and following the feast, the chorale will perform.
"We've prepared a number of selections fitting the occasion, in addition to bringing a few non-musical performers to share poetry, dance and history that will enlighten our audience and pay tribute to our ancestors," Williams said.
Community members such as Dr. Naomi Lede, Jennifer Roberts and Tai'Shea Butler will be featured in the program. Also featured will be soloists and performers from within the chorale. The program, set to begin at 7 p.m., will be immediately followed by dessert served on the patio of the museum.
"We have developed this program with community-building and service in mind," Oliver said. "Groups like the NAACP, LULAC, Progressive Women, the Roxie Douglas Scholarship Foundation and Huntsville's Promise have helped to make this day a special one."
As a service to seniors and others, the Huntsville Heritage Chorale has arranged for valet parking.
Food donations are still being accepted. For information on how to donate, contact Dorothy Henderson at (936) 291-8094. For more information on the program, contact George Oliver at (936) 291-5957.
Thanks. I wasn't aware of that.
We have a rather active group of Black Republicans in Austin. Besides the float, we're giving out fans with our club info on it. We're called the East Austin Republicans, supported by many of our Black elected officials, including Michael Williams, and the supreme court justices.
I'll be working on the float tonight but am so sorry that I won't be in town to see the parade.
A vaguely recall one of my old college roommates, Sam Biscoe being elected County Commissioner in East Austin. Is he still around?
Any day that celebrates freedom is a good day to me!
Happy Juneteenth day then!
COMPARE A TYPICAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION WITH KWANZA
Gainsville Florida.
Donald "Duck" Manuel, who has chaired the Juneteenth Celebration for 15 years, stepped down as chairman and is now a co-chairman of the committee which hosts the annual celebration of the emancipation of slaves in Texas.
"But the activities will go on as planned," Manuel said.
This year marks the 140th anniversary of Texas emancipation, according to a press release from the Gainesville Juneteenth Community Celebration Committee.
A Juneteenth celebration took place at Moffat Park until the late '60s or early '70s, Manuel said.
The celebration in Gainesville died off for a decade or two but was resurrected.
"Way back in '89, several of us got together over at Rueben Bradley's place - he's passed on, now - and we said, 'Let's get something started for Juneteenth,'" Manuel said.
According to the press release Gainesville's Juneteenth activities kick off on Friday around 4 or 5 p.m. at B.P. Douglas Park, off Throckmorton Street.
A three on three Hoop it Up basketball tournament begins that day and will continue through the entire weekend. The tournament has four age group divisions; fifth through eighth grade; ninth through 12th grade; 19-25-year-olds; and 26-year-olds and older. There is a maximum of four players per team and the sign-up fee is $5 per player. First, second, and third place prizes are expected to be offered in each division of the contest, which is a double elimination tournament.
Play-off games are to be played Friday and Saturday. The championship games for each division are scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday.
From 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, activities include volleyball games, a children's tie dye T-shirt stand (children may bring their own T-shirts to dye), tricycle races, apple bobbing and water melon eating contests. Prizes are to be awarded for all contests and races.
Hot dogs will be cooked and served at the park from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday evening's activities conclude with a children and youth dance from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Cooke County Boys and Girls Club, at the corner of Weaver and Hird streets.
Saturday's activities begin early. Committee members and volunteers are expected to start preparing and delivering hot meals to community members who are housebound. Approximately 80 meals are to be delivered at around noon. Then, the Gainesville community is welcome invited to attend a barbecue and picnic at B.P. Douglas Park beginning at 3 p.m.
Children and youth activities are scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. These activities include volleyball games, face painting, carnival games with prizes and novelty races such as egg and spoon races, sack races and three-legged races.
The Valley View Volunteer Fire Department donated its dunking booth for use Saturday afternoon.
A spades (cards) and dominoes tournament begins at 6 p.m. at B.P. Douglas Park. There is an entry fee per player and first and second place prizes are to be awarded for each competition.
At 6:30 p.m. a special recognition ceremony is scheduled to recognize Juneteenth organizers, past and present.
The final youth activity is scheduled for after the ceremony at 7 p.m., when a dance contest begins at B.P. Douglas Park. There is no entry fee and prizes are to be awarded.
The celebration is set to continue at B.P. Douglas Park with a disc-jockey and music until about 11 p.m.
The 2005 Juneteenth Committee consists of Cornelius Black, James Hughes (chairman), Manuel, Carla Fleeks (secretary) and Carolyn Hendricks (treasurer).
"The Gainesville 2005 Juneteenth Celebration Committee has worked hard to plan events and activities for the entire family and community," the release from the committee said. "Celebrations such as this require a lot of community support and assistance. Local community businesses and churches have already provided much of the financial support needed to have this celebration. The Committee continues to raise funds to cover the cost of purchasing food, event prizes, and children's activities."
There are a few other celebrations for this week.
Tonight, Muller Street Church of Christ, which meets at 808 Muller St., is hosting a community dinner, according to Long, for the Christian community of Gainesville. The church may be reached at 665-3559.
The Booker T. Washington Community Center has scheduled its annual fund-raising Celebration Banquet for 6 p.m. Saturday, which includes a chicken dinner prepared by the Rev. Lorrine and Jack Ollie, silent auction, musical entertainment and motivational speaker. There is a fee for the banquet, which is to take place at the Booker T. Washington School, 701 Muller St. Tickets may be purchased at the door or by calling 612-2499.
And, a Juneteenth tradition, many neighbors of the B.P. Douglas Park area will be on their porches and in their front lawns, playing cards, preparing barbecue meals and visiting with friends and visitors.
Are you going to be participating?
HEADS UP BAY AREA POLITICIANS
Everybody’s coming to San Francisco’s 55th annual Juneteenth Festival, the largest and oldest African American event in Northern California, this weekend, June 18-19, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Fillmore Street between Geary and Golden Gate.
The parade on Saturday, starting at Duboce Park and proceeding down Fillmore Street to the reviewing stand on Turk and Fillmore, features Black Cowboys on horseback, drill teams, drum corps, marching units, floats, car and motorcycle clubs. The festival features two stages of entertainment with outstanding musical performers, food vendors offering the best barbeque, links, gumbo and seafood dishes in the Bay Area, arts and crafts booths and rides for the kiddies at the corner of Eddie and Fillmore.
For information, call (415) 931-2729.
Yes, my church sponsors an inner-city black church. This Sunday is repay time.
thanks for the info..If I lived in SF, I would go.
Emancipation should be celebrated. I wonder if the Republican connection is why we don't hear more about it.
HEADS UP FLINT MICHIGAN REPUBLICAN POLITICIANS
FLINT - Members of the Flint community will be commemorating black independence this week at the city's 15th annual Juneteenth celebration.
Events run through Sunday with a parade and church services. Many events take place at Riverbank Park in downtown Flint.
Kathryn Blake, also a member of the executive committee, said the purpose of the celebration is to recognize black history and help educate the black community.
Many events focus on that history, including a speech by Frederick Douglass IV, who will discuss his great-great-grandfather's role in freeing the slaves.
And on Friday, a state historical marker will be presented for the role Flint played in the underground railroad. A Flint home was a stop on the railroad.
Other events include local music acts, the telling of black stories and dancing.
A Health Fair in the University Pavilion on the campus of the University of Michigan-Flint will also be part of the events.
LIBERTY KANSAS
This weekend's Juneteenth celebration will center around its usual venue, Mahuron Park on east Eighth Street, with a Block Party beginning at 7 p.m. Friday and the Celebration Cookout beginning at noon Saturday.
"That's what we want," Williams said. "Come out and help us celebrate."
All events Friday and Saturday are free and open to the public. Children can play games and be entertained extensively as Poppa the Clown and Imme the Clown, or Doug and Elaine Munsell, are scheduled to appear along with Sparky the Fire Dog of the Liberal Fire Department.
* 7-10 p.m. Friday, Block Party at Mahuron Park with hot dogs and chips;
* Noon Saturday, "Celebration Cookout" at Mahuron Park including basketball, volleyball, children's games, food and other activities.
For more information contact Williams at 624-8491 or 624-8087.
Here in Texas its a state holiday.
"Juneteenth?"
Oh, never mind. There's so much wrong with that, and I have to go to bed.
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