Juneteenth celebrations draw a crowd in Wake Forest

The town of Wake Forest hosted a number of events over the weekend aimed at celebrating Juneteenth.

The holiday, which takes place on Wednesday, June 19, commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States.

A community gathering staged at Taylor Street Park June 14 included stands and tents staffed by an array local groups. Represented were religious leaders from the Olive Branch Bapist Church, the Wake Forest Presbyterian Church, and St. John’s Episcopal Church.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Wake Forest Rotary Club, Moms Demand Action, the Wake County chapter of the NAACP, and many more civic groups, including Wake Forest Pride, and members of Wake Lodge #285, the town’s only Black Freemason lodge.

The event also featured booths promoting a number of Black-owned businesses throughout the area. Including First Choice Customized DJ Services, Digital Bridge, and At-Home Counseling Services.

A number of singers and dancers performed throughout the event. Members of the Bea-A-Mayzed cheer and dance team performed a number, as did the North Carolina Delta Divas. Rory Crutchfield and his band performed as well.

Local student Randi Carrington was also honored for winning the Alston-Massenburg Center’s “What Juneteenth Means to Me” writing contest. Her essay will be on display at the Alston-Massenburg Center.

Saturday saw a number of additional events occur that served to commemorate the holiday. Guests took part in a walking parade from Hope House on Allen Road to the Dubois Center on Franklin Street.

There was also a Freedom Historical Walk, which was put on by the Wake Forest Historical Museum, that highlighted different areas of importance throughout the Northeast Community and within other parts of Wake Forest.

The series of events was a collaborative effort between the town and the Northeast Community Coalition, which support resident advocacy and aims to create a better quality of life for those who live in the neighborhood.

Juneteenth commemorates the freedom afforded to Black slaves after the conclusion of the Civil War, On June 19, 1865, some 2,000 troops arrived at Galveston Bay in Texas, The army announced that the nearly 250,000 enslaved Black people living in Texas were free by executive decree.

This date came to be known as Juneteenth in Texas, and, in time, around the country.

The post Juneteenth celebrations draw a crowd in Wake Forest first appeared on Restoration NewsMedia .