Art, live music, more: African American Military Heritage Society hosting Juneteenth event

Special to the Northwest Florida Daily News/USA TODAY NETWORK
·2 min read

EGLIN AFB — The African American Military Heritage Society (AAMHS) will host its second annual Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday.

The event will include an art exhibit by renowned Atlanta artist Robert West, live music by Devon and Crystal Smith, displays and more. It will also build support for the Air Force Armament Museum's new African American Military Heritage Hall that will highlight the history and accomplishments of U.S. African American veterans from the Revolutionary War to the present. The hall is one of four to be located next to the museum’s main building.

Gregory Seaton, a local activist, speaks at the African-American Military Heritage Society's Juneteenth event.
Gregory Seaton, a local activist, speaks at the African-American Military Heritage Society's Juneteenth event.

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The celebration is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the museum at 100 Museum Drive. There is no charge to attend, and the public is invited. Food and refreshments will be available outside the museum during the event.

More about Robert West

A retired Air Force veteran, West is an award-winning artist. He exhibits his paintings at railroad-related events across the country and is also a researcher and visual historian of North American railroads.

West describes himself as a Southern artist who recognizes not only America’s physical beauty but the magnificent landscapes and environment of the South. He said his goal is for his art to convey realism and emotionalism by challenging the viewer to use all senses to appreciate a special moment in time.

More about  the African American Military Heritage Society

The AAMHS, a nonprofit 501 (3)(c) organization, preserves the legacy and promotes the growth of African-American military history, mentors and educates youth, and grows educational opportunities for students in the Florida Panhandle through fundraising endeavors.

African American Military Heritage Society Vice President and event Emcee De'Carlo Garcia thanks guests at the conclusion of the inaugural Juneteenth program and celebration at the Armament Museum.
African American Military Heritage Society Vice President and event Emcee De'Carlo Garcia thanks guests at the conclusion of the inaugural Juneteenth program and celebration at the Armament Museum.

Juneteenth (Juneteenth National Independence Day) was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021. It commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans and celebrates African-American culture.

According to information from Wikipedia, Juneteenth originated on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas. On that day, the Union Army announced General Order No. 3 that proclaimed freedom for enslaved people in Texas, the last Confederate state that had institutional slavery.

Juneteenth has been celebrated annually on June 19 in various parts of the country since 1865.

For more information on this event, contact Jonathan Holmes Sr. at 850-603-3099 or holmes.jnp@gmail.com; Jonathan Holmes Jr. at jonathan.holmes9@us.af.mil; or Allison Morris, AAMHS public affairs director, at 850-774-7084 or aamh.society@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: African American Military Heritage Society to host Juneteenth event