BY HANNAH GOLDFINGER
HLESTER@
OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
LEE COUNTY —
Juneteenth has come to Lee County again and this year, Auburn and Opelika are planning multiple events for a greater reach.
Juneteenth is the celebration of emancipation of slaves within the United States. The holiday is celebrated each year on June 19 because that is when Texan slaves were made aware of emancipation in 1865.
“Juneteenth is the recognition of a terrible time in our country’s history; it’s the recognition of the end of that time,” said Auburn Mayor Ron Anders. “For us locally in Auburn, Juneteenth is a recognition of the history and the contributions of our African American community and what they mean to the city. I’m very proud that we take time to stop and recognize those contributions, those histories and those stories that come from those members of our community that have gone through struggle, that have had to fight harder and that have succeeded in making Auburn a great place to live.”
Juneteenth was created as a national and federal holiday in 2021.
“I would describe Juneteenth as a day of freedom,” said Ward 1 Council Member for the city of Auburn, Connie Fitch Taylor.
Auburn and Opelika will each have two programs that are dedicated to celebrating this holiday.
“This is the third year that we have celebrated Juneteenth as a community,” Anders said. “The first year, actually, it was done while a tropical storm was coming through town and we were all under the pavilion at Sam Harris Park. Last year, the event was larger and it was held at Martin Luther King Park, and this year, we expect the event to be even larger. And that’s why it’s going to be held at Kiesel Park.”
Auburn’s event at Kiesel Park on Monday, June 19, will be a full-on celebration, complete with down-home cooking, Taylor said.
“We’ll have a guest speaker, Dr. Rev. Terrance Vickerstaff and Ms. Henrietta Snipes, and we will also celebrate our unsung heroes, which we normally do every year,” she said. “We celebrate those who go unnoticed for the things and the contributions they have made in the community and beyond.”
Taylor, who is also one of the organizers of the event, said it is a great chance to meet people you may not have gotten a chance to interact with before.
“It will be an experience of your life,” she said. “… It’s a great day for gathering.”
Anders echoed the sentiment.
Auburn is also introducing a new event this year on June 18: a parade on Boykin Street from the Boykin Community Center.
“They are very public events; they’re very casual events; they’re free events,” Anders said. “I would just encourage people, now that [June 19] is a federal holiday, if you are off work that day, we encourage you to come out to Kiesel Park and just walk around, see what’s going on and meet some people that you might … never have met if you hadn’t come to this event. And I hope people can find value and interest in maybe a part of Auburn’s community or a part of Auburn’s history that they weren’t familiar with.”
Taylor encouraged people from all walks of life to attend all the events.
Opelika is hosting two events of its own and branching out a bit.
Snipes and Janataka Holmes organized Opelika’s events. The first is an event at Courthouse Square on June 16 at 6 p.m.
The second is a bit off the beaten path — a Mrs. Senior Citizens Juneteenth Pageant. The event will be held at Covington Recreation Center on June 17 at 4 p.m.
“I think it’s important that all of us, regardless of our colors or national origin, celebrate our history, and so it’s an opportunity for folks,” said Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller. “Juneteenth might not mean a lot to some people, but to others it’s a significant holiday and a significant occasion, and I want folks to celebrate their heritage.”
Opelika’s ceremonies have certainly grown; Fuller said that in one of the first celebrations it was maybe 15 participants.
“I’m happy to see folks celebrate,” he said.
Join the community and celebrate one or all four events this year with Auburn and Opelika.
