By Ms Jheri Worldwide
Staff Writer
This year, Juneteenth celebrations felt more important than ever. To have a commander-in-chief in the White House who elected not to acknowledge, celebrate, or honor the federal holiday spoke volumes but did not deter celebrations throughout the state of North Carolina and beyond. Kroger is also under fire for a viral video of poorly decorated cakes. However, it's not all bad news. In Paris, France, local Beyoncé fans handed out Juneteenth flags to concert goers to wave as she sang Freedom during her Cowboy Carter Tour, demonstrating the global recognition of this holiday.
While celebrations took place all across the state, from the Town of Cary to Apex, Wilmington, and countless other areas. We would like to highlight a few events that excelled in their presentations, crafting memorable experiences.
Dunn, North Carolina, hosted an exceptional event downtown with food, fun, agricultural, medical, and financial information. The music and dance performances were inspiring and colorful. The event was led by a committee that approached the town government and obtained approval for the celebration. They created a committee that executed this wonderful event, and the hope is to make it an annual event.
The City of Raleigh Museum hosted an informative and insightful talk in association with the Capital City Lawyers Association. CCLA is a local, inclusive, voluntary bar association comprised primarily of attorneys, judges, and elected officials of color in Wake County, NC. Member Torrey Dixon delivered a powerful Juneteenth address at the COR Museum, underscoring that freedom for enslaved African Americans was a protracted struggle, not an instantaneous event. He vividly shared his own childhood experience of feeling limited by the lack of Black representation in his elementary school's historical displays, a stark contrast to his eventual discovery of rich, local Civil Rights history, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s visits to his hometown of Danville, Virginia. Dixon explained that while the Emancipation Proclamation was a crucial step, true freedom for many, particularly in Texas, only arrived with General Order No. 3 on June 19, 1865. He detailed how this hard-won freedom was then systematically undermined by peonage and Black Codes, which acted as precursors to Jim Crow laws, effectively re-enslaving Black individuals and eroding the gains of Reconstruction. Despite the historical setbacks and ongoing challenges, Dixon concluded with an encouraging message of enduring faith, inspired by the resilience of our ancestors and the continuous fight for equality, reminding the audience that history, like freedom, is a constant, living struggle.
Finally, the North Carolina Democratic Party hosted a dinner where we were fortunate to hear from Judges Anita Earls and Allison Riggs, among others in leadership and elected officials. Dinner was served, and many representatives from the NC Democratic Party in various counties across the state were in attendance.
