Juneteenth Celebrations will take place in Port Arthur from Thursday, June 17 to Sunday, June 20. The festivities include a parade, a pageant, and programs featuring various guest speakers. On Friday, Gail Pellum, organizer of the festivities, and pageant participants Megan Miller and Erika Benjamin were interviewed live on KBMT channel 12's morning show by Molly O'Brien.
Juneteenth is named after the day that the last slaves were freed in Galveston. On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston to order the legal release of slaves with President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation took place on Jan. 1, 1863, almost two and half years earlier.
The events are sponsored by the African American Cultural Society. All events are free and open to the public.
“We just want to remember all those people who sacrificed so much for us to be where we are today,” says Gail Pellum, president of the African American Cultural Society. “We don’t want to take their dying for granted. And it’s even more important that we pass it on to the next generation so they know their history.”
Event Schedule:
June 8-June 30: Juneteenth Display at Port Arthur Public Library, 4615 9th Ave.
Thursday, June 17: 10 a.m. “Kids & Culture,” Israel Chapel AME Church, 948 Texas Ave. featuring speakers from Kenya, continental breakfast and lunch, a slide show, and a guided tour of the Museum of Gulf Coast
Friday, June 18: 6 p.m. Ms. Juneteenth Pageant, Israel Chapel AME Church, 948 Texas Ave.
Saturday, June 19: 10 a.m. Juneteenth Program, Port Arthur City Hall, 444 4th Street, featuring Waddy Thibodeaux as Harriet Tubman and Historian Amefika Geuka, an expert in African-Centered Education. Lunch will be served.
2-4 p.m Reception Museum of the Gulf Coast, 700 Procter St.
6 p.m. Parade starts at Savannah to Austin to Proctor
Sunday, June 20: 3 p.m. Heavenly Father’s Day, Procter Street Pavillion, 500 Procter St. A moment of prayer and reflection
For more information on the events, contact Gail Pellum, President, African American Cultural Society, at (409) 332-9105.
#
No comments:
Post a Comment