Join us for the City of Laurens Juneteenth Festival on June 17, 2023!
We're thrilled to announce that Dr. Walter B. Curry Jr. will be speaking at the Laurens County Museum at 1:00 pm, sharing his insightful perspective on this important occasion. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and celebrate the significance of Juneteenth.
The festivities continue throughout the day with incredible entertainment lined up on the main stage from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm. This includes our headliner David E and The Band Levelz. Prepare to be entertained and inspired by talented performers who will make this celebration truly memorable!
Additionally, we're still on the lookout for food and craft vendors to participate in the festival. If you're interested or know someone who would be a perfect fit, please reach out to us. Let's make this event even more vibrant and diverse!
Save the date, invite your friends and family, and get ready to join us in commemorating Juneteenth. Stay tuned for more updates on this remarkable event!
June 17 - The Juneteenth observance in Laurens will be from 3 to 9 pm on the Public Square - keynote speaker, 1 pm at the Museum, market opens at 10 am. Juneteenth is a Federal Holiday that commemorates the end of the slavery in America. Schedule: 1 pm, Dr. Walter B. Curry Jr. at Laurens County Museum, 3 event opening, 3:15 storyteller Darion McCloud, 3:45 comedian Tray “Diddy” Evans, 4:15 Sing2Gether (Laurens choir), 4:45 Dr. Kevin Witherspoon and Dr. Benjamin Mayes of Lander University, 5:15 Libation, authentic African dance, 6 - 9 headliner: David E & The Band Levelz; 7 academic awards, 8 Mr. & Mrs. Juneteenth, 8:50 remembrance vigil; also, children’s activities at the splash pad. Hosts: Rev. Anthony Sims and Ava A. Michele.
From Wikipedia:
Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining "June" and "nineteenth", it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas.[7] Originating in Galveston, Juneteenth has since been observed annually in various parts of the United States, often broadly celebrating African-American culture. The day was first recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law after the efforts of Lula Briggs Galloway, Opal Lee, and others.
Early celebrations date to 1866, at first involving church-centered community gatherings in Texas. They spread across the South and became more commercialized in the 1920s and 1930s, often centering on a food festival. Participants in the Great Migration brought these celebrations to the rest of the country. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, these celebrations were eclipsed by the nonviolent determination to achieve civil rights, but grew in popularity again in the 1970s with a focus on African American freedom and African-American arts. Beginning with Texas by proclamation in 1938, and by legislation in 1979, every U.S. state and the District of Columbia has formally recognized the holiday in some way. With its adoption in parts of Mexico, the holiday has become an international holiday. Juneteenth is celebrated by the Mascogos, descendants of Black Seminoles who escaped from slavery in 1852 and settled in Coahuila, Mexico.[8][9]
