Juneteenth celebrations planned across area
Jun. 10—BLUEFIELD — Juneteenth celebrations are upon us and local communities are having celebrations in honor of the very special holiday.
Juneteenth is a national holiday, that originated in Texas, in which the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans is commemorated.
Bluefield's Freedom and Heritage Celebration will include a showing of "42 The True Story of an American Legend" at the Granda Theater on June 19 at 5 pm., and an afternoon full of activities will continue the celebration in Chicory Square from 12 p.m., to 6 p.m., on June 20.
Dassa Giles, one of the events organizers said, "We want it to be a family fun event for everyone."
The celebration will conclude at the Granada with another showing of "42 The True Story of an American Legend" at 7 p.m.
Giles compared Juneteenth to a July 4 celebration and emphasized that Juneteenth is a celebration.
She said that the holiday has been historically celebrated with carnivals, parades, cookouts, and things of that nature.
"It's a day of celebration, that's how it was originally celebrated," Giles said.
Giles also said that McDowell and Mercer County have high populations of African-Americans, so she and the others involved with the event felt it was important to celebrate in this area.
The celebration will include a Talent Extravaganza, and Giles said anyone wanting to participate should contact her at 214-274-7354.
Friends of Juneteenth of Tazewell County will also be a two-day celebration of the holiday.
These celebrations will start on Saturday, June 18 at Main Street in Tazewell, Va., at 11 a.m., with a presentation on quilt messages used in the underground railroad, and several other activities and food throughout the day.
"Joseph Saunders, who is a retired police officer, will share with us and demonstrate some of the messages that were sewn into quilts that gave the enslaved clues and hints as to how and where to follow the path to escape slavery," said Bluefield native Susie Green.
The presentation will be followed by a four-block parade that will honor seniors and include Tazewell County police. The parade will lead to the main celebration that will include food, activities and games.
The food will specifically include red drinks and red velvet cake which follows traditional Juneteenth celebrations from Texas.
"Red signified the blood of those enslaved who died in the ships in the trips over, and those who died on plantations," Green said.
June 19 will be worship services at Nuckols Hall located in the Tazewell County Fairgrounds, and those will begin at 10:45 a.m., and the celebrations will conclude with dinner.
"We are going to have an old-fashioned Sunday service with singing. A community choir that will be directed by Barbara Johnson will be singing," said Green.
First Baptist Church of Pearisburg, Va., will be delivering the sermon for the service, and the event planners are asking women to wear their best Sunday church hats; although, it is not required.
"Then we'll have a nice old-fashioned Sunday dinner after church," said Green.
The Community Choir is asking for volunteers, and wants everyone to know that all are welcome. If you are interested in joining the choir, call 276-358-7086 or 276245-9443.
