Juneteenth gathers Abilenians to celebrate, reflect and educate
Juneteenth got off to a hot start this weekend.
Or, if you were inside the Abilene Convention Center, it was totally cool.
Inside or outside, the celebration of the nation's newest holiday began. Juneteenth officially is Sunday, marking the date in 1865 when word arrived in Texas that enslaved people in America were free at last.
Charles O'Neal, who heads the Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce, said another important day to celebrate is June 20.
"The day after emancipation, we had to go to work," he said. "We trace the start of Black business and entrepreneurship to that day."
O'Neal joined several others who spoke briefly at an opening ceremony at the Convention Center.
Outside, vehicles were queuing up for a parade to nearby Stevenson Park, via the Martin Luther King. Jr. Memorial Bridge.
It wasn't hard to find the woman's group Chucks and Pearls 325.
Unofficially, they are the "crazy Chuck ladies," they agreed.
"Let's go!" one member in the back of a pickup shouted. Wearing Converse All-Stars and, of course, pearls, they were listening to old-school soul by artists such as Gladys Knight.
Let party begin.
Empowering women
Inside, vendor and health booths were set up.
One featured CookiBloom, owned by Abilene resident Courtni "Cooki" Williams.
Originally from Miami, she is a retired Air Force ER/trauma nurse still working at Dyess Air Force Base as a civilian contractor, specializing in disease management.
She and husband, Jermaine, a major with the 7th Operations Support Squadron, have been in Abilene for three years. Combined, they have five children - Jay 23, who is in the Air Force and also at Dyess; Josh, 21; Jordin, 13; Jaxin, 7; and Carrington, 5.
Yes, Carrington broke the "J" name thing.
Her business promotes empowerment for women.
Williams designs her T-shirts, for example, from design idea to pressing.
One message is "Unapologetic About Everything." Another, "Try to see my point of view," is printed upside down to emphasize her point.
Another T defines "bloom": As a noun, "the time of her greatest beauty, newness or strength." And as a verb, "To become fully beautiful or healthy. Flourish."
During COVID, she set to work to take her ideas a step further. She had made T-shirts before, she said, and received compliments.
She now has customers in every state and is breaking into the Canadian market, she said.
Williams' wants women to believe they are beautiful "just the way they are." At any age. Of any social class.
While is she is a Black businesswoman, she said her items are meant for all, not just Black women.
"Individuality is awesome," she said.
Other vendors were selling beauty aids, accessories, fashion hats and basketball jerseys.
What Juneteenth means
Shawnte Fleming, president of the nonprofit Let Us Breathe, welcomed folks to a day of Juneteenth celebration, along with Dee Moore, who heads the Abilene Black Chamber of Commerce.
Fleming said folks had indoor and outdoor options.
"Go wherever you guys like to go," she said. "Let's celebrate our independence.
"For people like me, it's just as important as July 4th."
Emcee was the Rev. Izair Lankford, who asked those in attendance, "Let's give a hand for Juneteenth."
Cheers and clapping followed.
The first of four speakers was Col. John McClung, commander of the 7th Operations Group at Dyess. He has been at Dyess for 13 of his 25 years in the Air Force.
From North Carolina, he noted Juneteenth has been a state holiday in Texas since 1979. But he only learned about Juneteenth 20 years later.
McClung said the day combines celebration, reflection and education.
What was it like in 1865, when Blacks in Galveston heard good news.
"It makes me think of 'The Wiz,' when Dorothy killed the witch and they started the celebration dance," he said, before singing "can you feel a brand new day."
"That's what it feels like to me when we celebrate Emancipation Day. On Emancipation Day, we finally get to underline the 'we' in 'we the people.'"
More soberly, the date launched a 100-year struggle for civil rights.
"That's the day we had the freedom to fight for our rights."
But McClung said June 19 is like Memorial Day, when the sacrifices of those who died are honored.
"On Juneteenth, we reflect on the pain and suffering the institution of slavery inflicted on those slaves," he said.
He closed by saying it was putting Blacks into state government after the Civil War that led to creating a public education system in the South, one that served Black children and poor white children.
O'Neal said Texas has 30 Black chambers and encouraged local business people to use this resource. Beginning in 1936 with the founding of the Texas State Negro Chambers of Commerce, on the occasion of Texas's 100th birthday, there are more than 350,000 Black-owned businesses "in virtually every industry" in the state, he said.
Nationally, there 152 Black chambers in 42 states. O'Neal is involved in leadership roles at the national level.
Police Chief Marcus Dudley was introduced by Lankford as someone who is keeping Abilene streets safe at all hours for all people.
The chief, who started in his role Jan. 1, 2021, spoke about issues in front of the community, thus the police - mental health crisis, school and hospital safety, homelessness.
A way to combat that is togetherness, he said. And that is promoted by community events such as Juneteenth.
Dudley also spoke to the "capacity for empathetic growth" as it applies to his officers. They must care for the people they serve, regardless of the situation.
"When I think of Juneteenth, I think of the love that has been poured to me from our community members, to come together to collaborate for the greater good," he said. "I think of our officers continuing on that path to empathetic growth."
Mayor Anthony Williams said that to him, Juneteenth means hope and provides the opportunity to be better together.
"In Abilene, Texas, we are making good investments and we'll see a good return on that," he said.
Back at the park
Stevenson Park is a mile east of the Convention Center on North Seventh Street, also known as Buffalo Soldiers Drive.
The route passes by the home of the city's first Black physician, Dr. Williams Butler Sr., and historically Black Macedonia Baptist Church.
Park activities began Friday evening.
DJ Skidd set the mood with music that crossed generations while several members of the Abilene Police Department were playing kickball with youngsters.
The teams were mixed and there was laughter amid more serious attempts to get on base and score.
Dudley did not injure himself this year — he pulled a muscle last year. He admitted he was trying to show off.
However, he was tagged out going from third to home plate ... by his 11-year-old daughter, Amari.
Dudley said he got razzed last year for getting hurt playing against kids. And, yes, he will hear about a girl tagging him out.
A line formed quickly for a free catfish dinner.
Under the morning sun Saturday, — it was 95 degrees by noon — the activity at the park was moderate.
Some attendees were riding Bird scooters.
One young man crashed ... right behind Dudley, who was doing a TV interview. Anyone who has said the police are never around when you need them should shelve that thought. Dudley had only to turn around to be at the accident scene.
The mayor was making the rounds, not on a scooter — he said that wasn't happening — but in a golf cart with Fleming.
Getting out, he met up with former Abilene High and University of Tulsa football standout Keevan Lucas.
Williams squeezed Lucas' muscled shoulders.
"Can I buy those at Walmart?" the mayor asked.
"Come train with me," Lucas fired back.
"I look better just standing next to you," Williams said.
Lucas seemed to accept that.
That kind of friendly banter flowed.
It was, after all, a time to be happy.
Greg Jaklewicz is editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and general columnist. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Juneteenth gathers Abilenians to celebrate, reflect and educate
