JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION
Sponsored by Cooper Family Foundation of San Diego
DATE/TIME:
Saturday, June 16, 2018
10:30 AM - 6:00 PM
LOCATION:
Imperial Avenue between 29th St. & 30th St.
Juneteenth celebrates Black Independence Day. It's a day of celebration with prayer and worship and gives recognition to community leaders. The event presents African history, drumming and dancing. It also includes a Teen Stage, a Fun Zone, merchandise booths, light refreshments, and a talent show.
Location: Imperial Avenue between 29th St. & 30th St.
Click here for directions
Below is a brief synopses of the information obtained on the Juneteenth.com website. I urge members, especially the board, to read the full article.
June 19th, Juneteenth Day, is the day that Texas was officially notified (June 19, 1865) that the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863 ended slavery and they were free. No one really knows why there was a two and a half year delay in notifying Texas, a large slave state. Many believe the news was intentionally withheld for financial gain to use the slaves for two additional years for crop harvest. In any case, this was the last enclave of slavery. After General Robert E. Lee surrendered in 1865, federal troops were able to secure the region and enforce the end to slavery. This information was never included in our Public School History textbooks and for a long time this date was only celebrated within the African American communities and mostly in Texas. During the Civil Rights era there was a resurgence, but due to a lack of awareness and resources there was a decline in participation. Then on January 1, 1980, through the efforts of a state legislator, Al Edwards-an African American, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official state holiday. Again, you can read more about this prominent historical event on the website, Juneteenth.com.
Here is a short documentary about mental health in the Black community by an actor, Kofi Siriboe, 24, titled WTF Is Mental Health? https://bit.ly/2Js1Yod. I believe the residual affects of slavery are still plaguing this demographic today and many of them do not even know why.
