Leslie Barringer, an event organizer and member of the nonprofit Guiding Hands of Life, said she was surprised that some residents of Pottsville didn’t know what Juneteenth is.
While going door to door passing out information about an event sponsored by Guiding Hands of Life, Barringer said some didn’t know about the significance of the historical milestone. Juneteenth is the oldest celebration recognizing the end of slavery in the United States. They hosted an event Saturday to provide a way for the community to come together and celebrate.
“It’s for everybody and its history and history is for everybody,” she said.
Juneteenth dates back to June 19, 1865, when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger led Union soldiers to Galveston, Texas, to spread word that the war had ended and that slavery was abolished. This was 2 1/2 years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
The event was held at the Billie Payne Community Center in the city and featured free food for children, games, music, a 50/50 raffle and Chinese auction. Speakers also talked about the importance of the day. Tracy Stevenson, president of Guiding Hands of Life, an organization that seeks to give children an outlet for activities in Pottsville, said the day should be commemorated by all.
“It’s not a racial event. It’s a cultural event,” she said.
Many people had a hand in helping out slaves to freedom, she said. About 50 people attended the event in Pottsville.
PJ Fermaintt, Pottsville, said it’s “a day we should always remember. History is a big part of moving forward. You can’t move forward if you don’t know where you come from.”
With him, he had his two children, Jason, 11, and Autumn, 7.
In addition to recognizing Juneteenth, five fathers were recognized for Father’s Day.