Juneteenth celebration June 17

The 65th annual Juneteenth celebration in Georgetown is Saturday, June 17, at the Community Center at 445 E. Morrow St. in San Gabriel Park. The Georgetown Cultural Citizen Memorial Association hosts the annual public event which is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Juneteenth event schedule

The event starts at 11 a.m. with a panel and a gospel choir performance. Panelists addressing the theme of “An Emancipated Mind: The Greatest Freedom of All” include Malakhi Perry, a local high school student, Johanna Thomas, attorney and Georgetown native, and Indigo Morgan, a Southwestern University graduate and seminary graduate. (Performers from the 2016 Juneteenth event pictured at right.)

A barbecue lunch for $5 per plate follows the opening program. The event also includes vendors, a jewelry display, a raffle, and games for youth and adults.

After lunch, there will be 15-minute interactive presentations with Annie Mae Williams City, who is 102 years of age and will read some of her original poems, Marjorie Anderson, who will talk about her book on teens and finance, Selena Payne, a writer and Southwestern University student, Georgetown police officer Delta Jolly, and Tashana Morgan, a local pastor and business owner.

Juneteenth history

Juneteenth marks the day on June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers landed at Galveston and reported that the Civil War was over and slavery had ended. The Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves had been in effect since January 1, 1863, but word did not reach Texas for more than two years. Juneteenth was declared an official state holiday in Texas in 1980.

Contact information

For more information, please contact Paulette Taylor, president of GCCMA, at (512) 863-2109, or Joyce Gadison at (512) 887-7899.