Not everyone at Sim Scott Park Saturday knew the historic significance of Juneteenth, but the 13th annual Juneteenth Festival had some kind of meaning for everyone present.
“It”s great,” Twanda Tate, a Columbus resident who participated as part of Southern Elite Catering, said of the festival, at which the catering company has done business for the past eight years. “It”s a time for fellowship and enjoyment.”
“So far, so good,” Johnny O”Neal, of Columbus, said of the festival, which he likened to a “big family reunion.” “It”s been great. We had a real good time. I”ve done a little business, had a little fun.”
“It”s a freedom celebration,” he explained of Juneteenth. “To me, on top of that, it”s a chance to see a bunch of people you haven”t seen in a long time; it”s a big party.”
“It”s going good,” said Willie Petty of Columbus. “It”s a little hot; we could ask God to turn the air conditioning on.
“I know the history of it,” he added. “But I really look at it in modern terms. It”s an opportunity for the community to get together and have a good time.”
During the festival, Petty worked to raise money for scholarships for Columbus High School students.
This fall, Petty and others will give away their first scholarship of $500.
“We”re trying to do something positive for the community and this is a platform for it,” he said of the festival.
“Each year, I participate (in the festival),” said Joe Baldwin, of Columbus. “I think it”s going pretty good.”
Of the history surrounding the event, he added, “It does matter. I think it”s significant, even to children. They think it”s just a time of getting together, but it”s a time of freedom.”
Juneteenth traces its roots to June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers reached Galveston, Texas, and delivered news of the end of the Civil War and slavery. The 1865 announcement came two years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
“It”s a celebration of freedom,” said Tommy Orr of Noxubee County. “And getting together in unity and sharing together.”
Orr noted more should be done, at future events, to emphasize the significance of Juneteenth and the history behind the event.
“During the celebration, show them something,” he said. “A lot of kids are out playing and they don”t understand what it”s all about and a lot of the adults don”t really understand. Acknowledge the history of Juneteenth, so everyone can understand what the history means.”
The free Juneteenth festival, which was funded through a grant from the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau, was held June 18 through June 20.
“It”s been hot, but everything”s going real good,” District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks, an organizer of the festival, said Saturday. “Everything is going like clockwork and we”re really happy at the way things are going.”
“We”re going to make a commitment to get people to understand the historical significance of Juneteenth,” he promised for future events. “Especially, in lieu of the U.S. Senate apologizing for slavery, we”re going to do an educational (push), probably put out a brochure and other things, to educate the public about Juneteenth.”
The Senate Thursday unanimously passed a voice resolution apologizing for slavery and racial segregation in the U.S.; the measure was sent to the House of Representatives, which passed a similar apology last year.
The Senate”s version contains a disclaimer stating nothing in the resolution authorizes or supports reparations for slavery.
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