Jamestown’s Juneteenth committee is gearing up for the annual celebration set to take place June 17 through 19.
A free showing of the movie “Sister Act” will take place at the National Comedy Center on Friday, June 17 with other activities planned for June 18 and 19 at Jackson-Taylor Park.
Juneteenth Planning Committee Chair Regina Brackman said there will be a lot of activities for families and kids, “Games and carnival activities, we have a three-on-three basketball tournament that will be going through the day, there will be music, we have food vendors, Juneteenth (committee) will be operating a concession stand. That money from the concession stand goes toward our scholarship fund.”
Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, originated in Galveston, Texas to commemorate the anniversary date of June 19, 1865 when the announcement came proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas, which was the last state of the confederacy with institutional slavery.
President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in 2021, recognizing the day as a federal holiday.
Brackman said Juneteenth means a lot today with the Buffalo mass shooting and racial division she sees, “The fact that they made it a holiday speaks volumes, because now you’re acknowledging that that was a pivotal time in our history. And that it needs to be acknowledged, you know, this is a celebration. I think it gives pride that we’re a population that endured a lot and we’ve come a long way, but there’s still a long way to go.”
Brackman said they still need volunteers to help with setting up the event and then during the event. She said they also welcome donations to help defray costs of the event.
Those interested in volunteering or donating to this year’s Juneteenth Celebration can email juneteenthofjamestownny@gmail.com or visit the group’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/JTownJTeenth/
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