Downtown Yuma to mark Juneteenth
Downtown Yuma is the setting Saturday for Juneteenth, the annual event that commemorates the emancipation of slaves following the Civil War.
Presented by the Yuma chapter of the NAACP, Juneteenth will bring together a gospel choir, dancers, a rhythm and blues band, and food and craft vendors in a celebration that is free and open to the public.
The event also will feature activities for youngsters, including a bounce house where they can burn off energy, plus face painting.
And for those in the crowd with healthy appetites, Juneteenth offers them the chance to win bragging rights in a watermelon eating contest.
Pastor Gregory Greene, of Yuma’s Rose of Sharon Church of God in Christ, will be the guest speaker at the celebration, and Yuma’s deputy mayor, City Councilman Gary Knight, will issue a Juneteenth proclamation on behalf of the city, said Norma Nelson, president of the Yuma NAACP chapter.
“We’ve got a full program planned,” said Nelson, who serves as coordinator of the event.
Held in past years at Carver Park, Juneteenth begins at 6 p.m. in the 100 and 200 blocks of Main Street, continuing until 11 p.m.
Juneteenth — also sometimes called Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day — commemorates the liberation of slaves in Texas on June 19, 1865. While slavery was outlawed in President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, the executive order couldn’t be enforced in that state until 2-1/2 years later when Union troops landed at Galveston at the end of the Civil War.
The relevance of that historical event today, more than a century and a half later, will be a theme of Greene’s speech at the start of the celebration.
“I think we want to reflect on what the celebration is about and then, more importantly, translate it into what it means today for the Black community,” Greene said.
The pastor said he will also speak on the need for society to be more inclusive of African-Americans. But, he adds, his message will include an admonition to African-Americans to assume a greater role in promoting that unity.
“The Black community needs to take more of an active role. We need to be more present and more accountable. We need to be more vigilant and diligent in becoming a part of the community.”
The decision to shift the event from the park to Main Street reflects that spirit of unity, he said. The move “is a positive step in the direction I’m talking about. It’s more central, it takes us to the heart of the city, because that is our downtown area.”
Side Hustle Band, a rhythm and blues band, will play for the celebration. Formed about a year ago, the band consists of four Yuma-area residents — Nate Williams, keyboard player and vocalist; Mike Cadriel, on bass; Jose Gonzalez, guitar, and Shawn Kenney, drums.
Also scheduled to perform is the Yuma Community Gospel Choir, under the director of Lynn Gardner and consisting of singers from Rose of Sharon and several other churches. Van Hubbard, soloist from Second Missionary Baptist Church from Yuma, will also sing Saturday.
About 20 vendors will be working the celebration, said Nelson, and among the fare that will be served up, the public can enjoy barbecue, fish, hot dogs and peach cobbler.