BRATTLEBORO-The Windham County Branch of NAACP will host a Juneteenth celebration on the Common on Thursday, June 19, from 5 to 7 p.m.
This will be an outdoor family-friendly event with entertainment, the history of Juneteenth, and an overview of the community work of the NAACP.
"Let's honor the true stories of slavery and freedom," organizers wrote in a news release. "Black history matters."
Samirah Evans will perform music that harkens to the spirit of Juneteenth. She'll be accompanied by Ron Smith on saxophone, Jo Sallins on keys and bass, and William Rodriguez on percussion. There will also be sing-alongs during the performance.
During her career as a performer and recording artist, Evans has become known for her dynamic and soulful approach to music, especially in the jazz and blues genres. Her musical style is heavily influenced by the New Orleans sound, where "she was one of the city's most popular and in-demand singers for nearly 20 years prior to moving to Vermont," organizers wrote in a news release. Find out more at samirahevans.com.
Imogene Drakes, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital lab director, who holds a doctorate in philosophy from Walden University, will be the master of ceremonies for the event. Eason DeMarsico-Thorne from Brattleboro Union High School will be speaking about the history of Juneteenth, and student winners of the recent art and writing contest about BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) heroes will be honored.
Families are encouraged to bring picnic meals and food trucks will be available. There will also be a walk-in clinic offering health care screening.
Juneteenth is a celebration to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in Texas in 1865. The holiday's name, first used in the 1890s, combines the words "June" and "nineteenth," referring to June 19, 1865, the day when Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 1 in Galveston, Texas, informing the residents of, and ordering the final enforcement of, the Emancipation Proclamation.
The NAACP works to ensure the political, social, and economic equality of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. Find out more at windhamnaacp.org.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.