'Grow Together': Abilene Juneteenth celebrations feature food, fun and focus on future
Bigger, better and for all – that's what to expect for this weekend's Juneteenth celebrations in Abilene.
Festivities include live music, talent show, dance, a health and fitness fair and business expo, a parade, panel discussion, barbecue competition, sports, celebration of fathers and more Friday through Sunday.
The Abilene Black Chamber of Commerce is host of events in the cool indoors at the Abilene Convention Center.
The nonprofit Let Us Breathe is taking the activities outdoors at Stevenson Park, which is looking fresh with new basketball courts, tennis court, lighting, pavilion and other upgrades in a first phase of a long-range plan to renovate the community gathering spot just east of downtown.
A Saturday morning parade following welcoming remarks by speakers that include Mayor Anthony Williams and Police Chief Marcus Dudley connects the two locations, starting at the Convention Center and ending at the park.
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth refers to June 19, 1865, when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger informed Galveston residents that President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation 2½ years earlier to free enslaved people in Confederate states.
Freed people celebrated annually June 19 as a Jubilee, which evolved into Juneteenth and spread outside Texas. Last year, President Joe Biden signed legislation designating June 19 a federal holiday.
Juneteenth marks a time of coming together, said Shawnte Fleming, president of Let Us Breathe.
"As we grow, we can grow together," Fleming said. "I don't want this to just be about, 'Oh, this is just a Black day.' No, this is about American history. And this is our history, and I want us to focus on working together as much as we can and that our city actually unites."
Celebration of freedom is universal, she said.
"There's been a lot of stigma about Juneteenth. You know, white people say, 'Well, can we actually come out?' Of course! This is our history," Fleming said. "I want you to celebrate with us. I want you to feel comfortable.
"We just have to break a lot of these stigmas that are old and 'I feel uncomfortable.' I mean, this is 2022."
Freedom also means celebrating many occasions and cultures.
"We have to get rid of all these old ideations that we're not welcomed and wanted because we're not Black. I'm gonna celebrate Cinco de Mayo, the Fourth of July. I want to celebrate anything I want to," Fleming said. "That's my freedom."
Rising from the past
While recalling an atrocious part of American history, Juneteenth also is about looking forward.
"One of the things that we really want to focus on now is excellence," Fleming said. "We know that Juneteenth and the history of slavery is a black stain on American history. But we want to really focus on getting past those tragic moments that led to such a hard place."
Mixed in with the fun and food at Stevenson Park will be a tribute to history, including the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth facts and trivia.
Health screenings and educational information will be at the Convention Center.
Even the new cookout competition at the park is a nod to the history of Texas barbecue, part of which is influenced by the smoke cooking traditions of slaves in East Texas, Fleming said.
"Now that we have this knowledge, now that we have this holiday, now that we have these things in place, let's focus on rebuilding and working together," she said.
Advocacy and activities
Let Us Breathe formed in 2020 to advocate for empowerment, equality and justice in underserved communities and earned its 501(c)(3) status the next year. 2022 marks the nonprofit's third Juneteenth event.
The Black chamber was founded in 1975 to promote business ownership by Blacks, according to Abilene Reporter-News files.
More: Let Us Breathe seeing new life at Stevenson Park, with more changes to come
The advocacy mindset of the two organizations is evident in some of the Juneteenth events.
The Freedom for the Fallen concert Saturday night at the park will honor people who have died from suicide, drug overdose and violence, Fleming said.
Some of the topics for a Saturday panel discussion moderated by Claudine Williams will include life insurance, health care and mental health, repairing credit history, dealing with inflation and more.
Expect honest words to flow, too during the open mic Saturday night at the park, led by Zach Mosley and Emily Daye.
Back at the Convention Center that evening, performers will have 3 minutes each to earn cash prizes during the "Showtime at the Apollo 325" talent show.
Athletic competitions also are a part of the festivities, with kickball, three-on-three basketball tournament and a sports camp for kids slated at the park.
Laura Gutschke is a general assignment reporter and food columnist and manages online content for the Reporter-News. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.
Abilene Black Chamber of Commerce's Juneteenth: Let's Celebrate
Events at the Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N. Sixth St., unless otherwise noted.
Friday
7:30-11:30 p.m.: Family dance with Paul Cannon and The Band of Dallas
Saturday
9:30 a.m.: Opening ceremony
10: a.m.: Parade starts (see details below)
9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: Health fair
10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Business expo
11 a.m.-2 p.m.: Free barbecue sandwich lunch
1 p.m.: Door prizes
8-11:30 p.m.: Showtime at the Apollo 325 (18 and older talent show)
Let Us Breathe's Juneteenth Freedom Festival schedule
Events at Stevenson Park, East North Seventh Street and Cockerell Drive, unless otherwise noted.
Friday
6 p.m.: Welcome
6:30 p.m.: Kickball game
7 p.m.: Fish fry
8 p.m.: Live Music Mix by Dj Skidd
Saturday
8:50 a.m.: Parade line up at Abilene Convention Center parking lot
9:30 a.m.: Welcome inside Convention Center by Mayor Anthony Williams and Police Chief Marcus Dudley
10 a.m.: Parade begins and travels from Convention Center east on North Eighth Street, south on North Treadaway Boulevard, east on East Highway 80 to cross Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge and north on Cockerell Drive to the park. People encouraged to line the route to watch.
11 a.m.: Welcome, speakers and readings
Noon: Kingz of Smoke Competition,(free food by sponsors and at the Convention Center)
1 p.m.: Kidz World with activities, popcorn and snow cones
2 p.m.: Juneteenth '90s Fashion Show, hosted by Kisha Jackson
6 p.m.: Hoopteenth 3on3 Basketball, hosted by Jatwon and Keevan Lucas
7:30 p.m.: Open Mic Niteby Zach Mosley and Emily Daye
8:30 p.m.: Basic Truth Band, featuring Alivia Simmons
9:30 p.m.: Live Music Mix by Dj Skidd
Sunday
9 a.m.: Free 2Mile Youth Sports Camp
11 a.m.: Praise in the Park by Bridget Jordan
Noon: Free lunch
1 p.m.: "Can We Talk" - Panel discussion moderated by Williams
2 p.m.: Juneteenth history facts and trivia
3 p.m.: Father's Day tribute
7 p.m.: Freedom for the Fallen Concert
8 p.m.: Live Music Mix by Dj SKIDD
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: 'Grow Together': All invited to Abilene Juneteenth celebrations
