Celebrating Juneteenth
The Charlottesville community is again coming together to celebrate Juneteenth, which commemorates the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation on June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger read the declaration to enslaved people in Texas, announcing their freedom and ending the practice of slavery in the southern United States. While Juneteenth has been celebrated since 1866, it did not officially become a federal holiday until 2021.
What follows is a list of several Juneteenth events throughout the greater Charlottesville area.
On June 15 from 6 to 8pm, the Brooks Family YMCA will host a celebration that includes guest speakers, events, performances, and free food while supplies last. The event is open to the entire community, and will highlight local leaders like Vice-Mayor Juandiego Wade and Pastor Alvin Edwards from Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church.
The Jefferson School celebrates the holiday with a June 17 parade that kicks off at 9am, followed by an Emancipation concert that begins at noon. A special performance of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (see p. 25) starts at 7:30pm.
Outside the city, James Madison’s Montpelier will host a two-day event, Celebrating Stories of Freedom. The celebration starts on June 17, and runs from 10am to 4pm at Montpelier, while day two is on June 19 from 11am to 2pm at Church Street Park. Both days feature live music, storytelling, food trucks, and community information tables.
On June 19, the Ivy Creek Foundation will host tours of the historic River View Farm at 11am and 4pm. During the tours, participants can learn about the Carr/Grier family and its impact on the Albemarle area.
Later in the month, the Southern Albemarle Juneteenth Celebration includes a tour of Scottsville African American historical sites on June 24 at 10am. Starting at Union Baptist Church, the tour includes stops at Washington/Rosenwald Scottsville School, the Minerva Bell Lewis Historical Marker, and the Scottsville Museum’s Juneteenth African American Exhibit.
For those looking to celebrate on their own timeline, consider visiting the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at UVA and the “Pride Overcomes Prejudice” exhibit at the Jefferson School. While the exhibit is closed on June 19, it is a permanent installation, and will be open the rest of June.
Another way to observe Juneteenth is by donating to organizations supporting the Black community. Among those to consider are: the ACLU, Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, National Black Child Development Institute, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the Pretty Brown Girl Project, Southern Poverty Law Center, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and the United Negro College Fund.
In brief
CASPCA volunteers released
The Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA has released more volunteers, who were informed of their dismissal by interim Executive Director Sue Friedman. According to Friedman, the volunteers were dismissed for being “rude, disrespectful, and/or inappropriate in their interactions with team members.” Friedman asked that these volunteers not return for the remainder of the summer to “allow [the CASPCA] this time to create a safe and supportive space for our team members…our staff.” Watchdog group CASPCA Concerns released a statement condemning the dismissals, noting the lack of specific examples or evidence of volunteers’ behavior, and the blaming of volunteers for ongoing issues at the shelter.
ACPS appoints Hayes
Albemarle County Public Schools has appointed Chandra Hayes as its next assistant superintendent for instruction. Hayes has extensive experience, including in her current role as the director of equity and student support services for Chesterfield County Public Schools. Her term begins July 1.
Canada smokes C’ville
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed Charlottesville and much of the East Coast, drastically decreasing air quality. The city released a news alert on June 8, when the air quality in the area was deemed “very unhealthy” by the Environmental Protection Agency. While air quality has since improved, the city urges residents to “monitor local air quality reports and use … discretion when traveling outside” while the smoke persists.
