Juneteenth holds a special significance in the African American community. It’s not just the commemoration of the end of slavery for people of African descent in America; it is an affirmation of the power that we possess to impact positive change. Celebrating Juneteenth demonstrates that, in spite of the most painful parts of our American history, African Americans refuse to be held down by the past and are determined to move forward towards a free and equal present and future.
What is Juneteenth? Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Texas to free 250,000 people months after the Civil War had ended, and two years after President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved people. It’s a huge moment in American history, and it is indicative of the work that was necessary then and continues to be done for the sake of freedom. In 2021, Juneteenth became a federal holiday, in recognition that none of us are truly free until all of us are free.
Holly Knoll was the home of Dr. Robert Russa Moton who was the 2nd president of Tuskegee Institute, successor to Dr. Booker T. Washington. Within the walls of this home history was made. For example, strategies for the Brown vs. the Board of Education and other numerous Supreme Court cases were crafted, and Civil Rights leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, John Lewis, and Andrew Young frequently gathered. What a fitting place to celebrate the liberation from slavery for thousands of enslaved Americans.
Join us in recognizing Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” who played a key role in making June 19th a national holiday during our annual Opal Lee Walk which starts at 9:00 AM at the Gloucester County Main Library.
Our committee has created a Family-Friendly event that educates, recognizes, and demonstrates the importance of this hallowed day in American History. There will be a dynamic program and speaker, educational displays, children’s hands-on learning activities, games, vendors, music, and food. Admission is free.