FROM THE ROANOKE, VA. SCLC ARCHIVE JUNETEENTH UNITY DAY, 2007 WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY OF FELLOWSHIP!
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE JUNETEENTH UNITY DAY PARADE & CELEBRATION A DAY OF EDUCATION, BROTHERHOOD AND FELLOWSHIP HELD IN JUNE, 2007 AT HISTORIC GAINSBORO AND WASHINGTON PARK IN ROANOKE, VA.
SPONSORED BY THE ROANOKE, VA. SCLC COMMUNITY UNITED IN FAITH YOUNG LEADERS OF AMERICA
In June, 2007, the Juneteenth Unity Day Parade and Celebration took place in Roanoke, Va. It was a day of education, brotherhood and fellowship. Entertainment was provide by a number of people.
Local community service organizations, civil rights organizations and local businesses were in attendance to inform the community about what they do. Everyone who attended this wonderful event participated an old fashioned picnic/cook out with national businesses, organizations and volunteers helping to serve hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, watermelon, drinks and other items to those who attended Juneteenth Unity Day. All activities, including food, drinks and entertainment at this event were free. Over 1,000 people attended.
The day began at 10:30 A.M. with a parade beginning in Historic Gainsboro at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge. The honorees in the parade were Ms. Pearl Fu, Ms. Mary Beth Brooks, Ms. Perneller Chubb-Wilson and Mr. A. Byron Smith. The parade proceeded up Henry Street and ended at Washington Park where festivities began at 12 noon and ended at 5 P.M.
Planning has already begun for JUNETEENTH '09. Those wanting information on JUNETEENTH '09, those wanting to participate in JUNETEENTH '09, or those wanting to contribute to help stage JUNETEENTH '09 can contact me at (540)366-3719. You can also E-mail me at: juneteenth@jeffartis.com. You may also contact me about JUNETEENTH '09 by filling out the following form.
As always, JUNETEENTH, 2009, will a day for the community. As in the tradition of Juneteenth, all activities at JUNETEENTH '09 will be free to the public. I hope to see you there.
JUNETEENTH, 2009 SPONSORED BY THE ROANOKE, VA. SCLC SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2009 WASHINGTON PARK ROANOKE, VA. 12 NOON
WHAT IS JUNETEENTH?
History books tell us that on January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed The Emancipation Proclamation, the document that freed the slaves in those areas that were in rebellion against the United States of America. History books go on to tell us that the American Civil War ended on April 9, 1865. However, history books also tell us that it wasn't until June 19, 1865, in Galveston Texas, that the last of the former slaves of the Confederate States of America found out that the Civil War was over and that they were free men, free women and free children. June 19, 1865 is called "Juneteenth" for that reason. "Juneteenth" is considered by many to be Black America's Independence Day.
There are many reasons given as to why it took so long for the last remaining slaves in Galveston, Texas to find out that the Civil War was over, the South had lost the Civil War and that they were now free men, women and children. Some of these reasons may be true. Some of these reasons may be false. No one knows for sure. What is known for sure is on this day, June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger led the Union Army into Galveston, Texas and read GENERAL ORDER NUMBER 3, freeing the last 250,000 slaves in the former Confederate States of America and giving these slaves their freedom.
GENERAL ORDER NUMBER 3: AN EXCERPT
"The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute quality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer."
This is what is celebrated on June, 19'th across this great country of ours; freedom. On Saturday, June 16, 2007, freedom and unity is what we will be celebrating in Roanoke, Va. Please come and join us.
NO EVENT IS SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT ENTERTAINMENT. THE SPONSORS OF JUNETEENTH UNITY DAY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE AND GROUPS WHO PERFORMED AT THIS EVENT
NUHHANDAS SALAAMALLAH THE ACTING FAITH MINISTRIES STEP TEAM THE HIGH ST. BAPTIST CHURCH PRAISE DANCERS TRAKZ & ALICIA HARRISON SISTERS WITH VOICES PLUS THE DAUGHTERS OF ZION PRAISE DANCERS KWESI PASLEY, "I HAVE A DREAM" VIBE ENTERTAINMENT PASTOR MATTHEW MURPHY
THE ROANOKE, VA. SCLC, COMMUNITY UNITED IN FAITH AND YOUNG LEADERS OF AMERICA WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES, BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO HELPED IN CELEBRATING THE FIRST ANNUAL JUNETEENTH UNITY DAY PARADE AND CELEBRATION JUNE, 2007.
BUSINESSES
WALMART; STORE #1301, RT. 220 WALMART; STORE #2312, VALLEY VIEW WALMART; STORE #3243, BONSACK PEPSI FRITOLAY PEPPERIDGE FARMS GEORGE WESTON BAKERIES WTOY RADIO, 1480 A.M. LEE HARTMAN & SON THE BLACK PAGES B.U.C. MEDIA; (BLACK UMBRELLA COMPANY MEDIA) REAL MONEY ENTERTAINMENT VIBE ENTERTAINMENT STAGE SOUND SAM'S CLUB BURGER KING, MELROSE AVE. PIZZA HUT, MELROSE AVE. McDONALDS, CIVIC CINTER
ORGANIZATIONS & INDIVIDUALS
JEFF ARTIS, THE ROANOKE SCLC LEWIS ROSS, COMMUNITY UNITED IN FAITH JONTE JONES, YOUNG LEADERS OF AMERICA JEFFARTIS.COM THE HONORABLE SHERMAN LEA, ROANOKE, VA. CITY COUNCIL MR. MAC McCADDEN MAC McCADDEN FOR DELEGATE MR. MIKE YOUNG, REGIONAL MARKET MANAGER, WALMART MR. ARRON ROBINS, WALMART STORE #1301 MS. DEB WILBURN, WALMART STORE #2312 MR. SHAUN HUBBARD, WALMART STORE #3243 MR. MARK COOKE, PEPSI MR. JOHN COOK, PEPPERIDGE FARMS MR. JOHN KENNEDY, FRITOLAY MR. JERRY SUMINSKI, GEORGE WESTON BAKERIES THE HARRISON MUSEUM OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE GEORGE "KILLA" MILLER THE ROANOKE, VA. NAACP MS. DARLENE BURCHAM, CITY MANAGER, ROANOKE, VA. THE CITY OF ROANOKE, VA. ROANOKE, VA. PARKS AND RECREATION PRINCIPLE SUSAN WILLIS, WILLIAM FLEMING HIGH SCHOOL ACTING FAITH MINISTRIES U.S. CONGRESSMAN BOB GOODLATTE VA. STATE SEN. JOHN EDWARDS MR. RON MARSH, THE BLACK PAGES THE UNITED STATES ARMY THE UNITED STATES NAVY THE UNITED STATES MARINES THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE THE AMERICAN RED CROSS THE ROANOKE CITY POLICE DEPT. & RECRUITS THE ROANOKE CITY FIRE DEPT. & RECRUITS FED UP TOTAL ACTION AGAINST POVERTY BRENDA KEELING DWAYNE POWELL DELLA MILLER WANDA DENNIS TERESA McCADDEN THE EUREKA PARK REC CENTER NATIONAL BUSINESS COLLEGE VIRGINIA WESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS CLAUDIA WHITWORTH THE ROANOKE TRIBUNE BARBARA DUERK THE BLUE RIDGE BICYCLE CLUB SARAH BAUMGARDNER THE WESTERN VA. WATER AUTHORITY THE ROANOKE/ALLEGHANY HEALTH DISTRICTS TANYA WEIGEL LIZ BELCHER THE ROANOKE GREENWAY COMMISSION VALERIE GARNER THE COUNTRYSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE
THE ROANOKE SCLC HOPES TO SEE YOU AT JUNETEENTH '09 SATURDAY, JUNE 13 12 NOON WASHINGTON PARK ROANOKE, VA.