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Juneteenth Celebration to be held in Potsdam at Ives Park

Posted 5/4/21

POTSDAM — The second annual Potsdam community-wide Juneteenth Celebration will be held on Saturday, June 19 from 4 to 9 p.m., at the Ives Park Gazebo, behind the Clarkson Inn at 1 Main St. “The …

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Juneteenth Celebration to be held in Potsdam at Ives Park

Posted

POTSDAM — The second annual Potsdam community-wide Juneteenth Celebration will be held on Saturday, June 19 from 4 to 9 p.m., at the Ives Park Gazebo, behind the Clarkson Inn at 1 Main St.

“The Juneteenth Celebration Organizing Committee (JCOC) is proud to present this family-friendly event to celebrate the culture of African-Americans and provide a space for Black voices to be honored,” said member Sherry Long.

The public is invited to learn about Juneteenth and African-American culture through heritage-rich traditional foods, entertainment, and activities for all ages.

“Juneteenth is Freedom Day for African-Americans, a celebration to mark the day when the last remaining American slaves learned they were finally free from bondage,” Long said.

President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to abolish slavery. Texas slaves remained in captivity for more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation became law. Civil War Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865 to inform the Texas slaves they were finally free.

African Americans across our nation now celebrate Juneteenth on that day to honor their ancestors' sacrifice and hope for a more equitable future.

The Committee believes diversity and learning the culture of people different from us makes us stronger.

“We recognize that diverse voices are not always valued. We aim to change that,” Lead organizer Jen Baxtron states. “We welcome artists, educators, and storytellers to share their talent relevant to Juneteenth and the African-American experience!”

The Juneteenth Committee extends an invitation to any Black person, artist (spoken, dance, visual, music, etc.) educator or storyteller, and organization who would be interested in sharing their talent or education relevant to Juneteenth and the African-American experience by participating in this year’s Juneteenth celebration, by contacting PotsdamJuneteenth@gmail.com.