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2010 Juneteenth Celebration Brings
Joy to Community
6/19/2010
TheBaynet.com
The 2010 Juneteenth
Celebration cheered freedom,
accomplishment, and respect
for all cultures at Freedom
Park June 19. In its seventh
year, the annual event
brought people together to
celebrate General Gordon
Granger's proclamation,
"
all slaves are free."
Pioneers of Our Past Awards
were presented to Ms.
Everlyn Swales Holland,
whose civil rights and
pro-community actions in St.
Mary's County garnered
recognition, and Ms. Lucille
Clifton, an influential poet
and educator whose "Sharing
Our Stories, Building Our
Community" project inspired
St. Mary's students to
explore and share their
histories. Crofton,
Maryland's Poet Laureate
1979-1985, passed away in
Feb. 2010.
A rousing invocation by
Great Mills High School
graduate and NAS Pax Command
Chaplain Christilene Whalen
and recognitions of support
by Dr. Janice Walthour got
the program rolling. Local
leaders, like Commissioner
President Jack Russell,
Delegate John Bohanan and
Sen. Roy Dyson shared
comments of support for
Juneteenth and hosts, the
Unified Committee for
Afro-American Contributions.
Dyson announced the passing
of a bond bill which will
supply funding for the
long-in-the-works United
States Colored Troops and
Union Veterans of the Civil
War Memorial. While
fundraising continues,
Juneteenth Event Coordinator
and UCAC Vice President Mike
Brown said he hoped the
monument could be completed
by next Veteran's Day.
Attendees were treated to an
array of entertainment. A
high-energy performance by
Soul In Motion, an African
dance and drum group got the
audience moving. The crowd
also enjoyed performances by
R & B group Winfield Parker
and Praise, The New Briscoe
Brothers, the Southern Md.
Community Gospel Choir,
First Missionary Baptist
Church Youth Choir, and D.C.
jazz artist
Jaared.
Kids enjoyed shows by Super
Magic Man Reggie Rice and
health educator and
motivational rap artist No
Puff Daddy, whose show
encouraged youngsters to get
active and eat well. They
were also treated to balloon
animals, sweet treats and
horse rides, thanks to
Antonio and Paula Lunsford
of Bowie.
A true community event,
booths with information from
the library, the health
department, Dept. of Aging,
museums, churches and other
groups let citizens know
about the great programs in
St. Mary's County. Many
picked up tasty eats from
the food vendors and shopped
for a variety of wares.
In accepting recognition for
the longstanding support of
Lott Enterprises of Md.,
Inc., UCAC Founder Elmer
Brown talked about the many
stones gathered for the
African-American Monument
that is the centerpiece of
Freedom Park. He encouraged
citizens to participate in
the Buy-a-brick program,
saying, "Your name will go
down in the walks of
history."
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