Juneteenth kicks off in San Marcos with a Fish Fry

The annual Juneteenth Federal holiday, held each year on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the U.S. after the Civil War, has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s. Today, the holiday is celebrated by all Americans who want to embrace every aspect of American history.

Already underway, the Juneteenth Foundation held their annual Fish Fry as part of its Juneteenth festivities last week at the Willie Mae Mitchell Center, 715 Valley St., in San Marcos.

Hays County Constable David Peterson, who is also the Juneteenth Foundation board chairman, said the foundation prepared 1,000 pounds of catfish and sold 300 plates just two hours into the event. The plates came with fried fish, hush puppies, coleslaw, beans and all the necessary condiments.

On June 14 and 15, a barbecue cookoff will also be held at the Willie Mae Mitchell Center. Makers will be judged in several categories such as margaritas, youth pork chops, fajitas and beans. The cookoff will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. A Kids Fun Zone, from 5 to 8 p.m. is part of the festivities with jump rope, games and a watermelon spitting contest. Attendees are asked to bring canned or non-perishable food items to fill a grocery cart that will go to the Hays County Food Bank.

Also on June 15, a Unity Walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the LBJ and MLK Crossroads Memorial and end at the Willie Mae Mitchell Center. From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. the San Marcos Public Library will hold an event for children and families to learn about the importance of Juneteenth held every June 19.

On June 19, the Dunbar Heritage Associa- tion will hold a Juneteenth celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Dunbar Recreation Center, 734 Valley St., San Marcos, with games for children and adults, music, vendors and crafts.

At the Calaboose African American History Museum, 200 Martin Luther King Dr. in San Marcos, an exhibit with artifacts from all aspects of African American life in early Texas will be on display with a special exhibit of the Thompson Plantation which figured prominently in Texas history. Other exhibits about the Buffalo Soldiers, the Tuskegee Airmen, the Civil Rights Movement, the Ku Klux Klan and World War II military history will be on display. The museum is open Wednesdays through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.