Smiles beamed everywhere. The smells of soul food filled the air. And the sounds of a Motown band floated among strangers as they shared a sense of harmony on King Street Wednesday during the city’s Juneteenth block party.
Juneteenth, a long sacred day to many Black communities, is celebrated as a relatively new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday stems from the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, found out they had been freed. That day was after the end of the Civil War and two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
In Charleston, the MOJA Arts Festival and city of Charleston organized Wednesday’s block party to celebrate the holiday.
A highlight of the event was Deninufay African Drum and Dance’s vibrant performance, with The Legacy of Motown Band’s following act adding to the already lively atmosphere.
“It means freedom, because for African Americans, the Fourth of July really was nothing for us, because we still weren’t free,” said attendee Saadia Canty of Amelia Island, Florida. “Juneteenth is really like our real Independence Day.”
She recalled how Charleston, a major port, played a big role in enslavement.
“Charleston was one of the slave ports. So being here where hundreds and thousands of slaves actually came into the United States is super important.”
When Valaerie Jamison, an attendee from Orangeburg, was asked what her initial reaction was when Juneteenth was finally made a federal holiday a few years ago, she said “My first reaction was it was about time. Just knowing that we have a national holiday, other than Black History Month, where our heritage is celebrated is extremely important.”
Branchville resident Casey Britt said she enjoyed the sense of togetherness at the block party.
“People having their young children out here to be able to see the dancing and the vendors,” she said. “All of the activities that are going on. It’s a great lesson for the children.”
Ladson resident Charlene Horlbrack, a performer with Deninufay African Drum and Dance, explained the importance of celebrating the holiday.
“We must know where we came from. So we can know where to go”. Her favorite aspect of Junteenth celebrations is “Seeing young people embrace it.”
Charleston’s Edward “Ace” Washington added, “It’s important. There’s remembering the history. How far our people have come, to where we are now. The resilience of the spirit. The survival of the spirit.”
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