By T. Scott Boatright
Lincoln Parish’s Juneteenth remembrance is set to ramp up this weekend with events planned in both Ruston and Grambling.
Juneteenth commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth (short for “June 19th”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed.
While Grambling’s Juneteenth Festival began Monday, Ruston’s events will be held today into Saturday, when a 6:30 p.m. Gospel Concert at Railroad Park is set to feature the Mississippi Mass Choir.
Tickets for that concert can be pre-purchased at Zion Traveler Baptist Church located at 1201 MLK Dr. or online at ziontravelerdc.com.
But Ruston’s Juneteenth events actually begin at 6 p.m. today at Zion Traveler Baptist Church with a Gospel Artist Regional Contest. That contest will feature Lit Skwad, Inza English and Regina Rogers competing for the honor of opening for the Mississippi Mass Choir at Saturday’s concert.
Ruston Juneteenth Coordinator Santoria Black said the fourth annual event continues to grow.
“It’s helped the community and the people here grow by understanding what Juneteenth is all about,” Black said. “The first year, I remember sitting in Railroad Park listening to the music and a woman sitting next me turned to me and said, ‘You know, I can remember when I could not go into a store in Ruston because I was Black, and now, to sit here and worship God with people who look like me, and people who don’t, is an amazing experience.’
“And for me personally, it’s about understanding for everybody what Juneteenth was all about — Juneteenth was not a pretty holiday. It’s really something that was forced — celebrating slaves being free is actually not a good thing. That’s uncomfortable, but it’s the truth. I think it all just shows that this is what real change is all about, trying to change the minds in a community where people respect one another’s heritage, culture, and get to understand what it’s all about.”
Grambling’s week and a half festivities continue at 7 p.m. tonight with the city’s second annual Juneteenth Gala. The semi-formal event will be held in the foyer of GSU’s Frederick C. Hobdy Assembly Center and tickets are required for the event.
Saturday will be the biggest day of Grambling’s Juneteenth celebration starting with a Heritage Wellness Walk at 8 a.m. followed by the annual Juneteenth Parade beginning at 10 a.m.
The rest of that day will include a Young Entrepreneur Fair at 10 a.m. with vendors crowding Main Street with the annual Kidzone and Car Show as well as the return of a stage for musical and other performances, something that will return for the first time since the COVID pandemic.
“At 10 a.m.Saturday we’ll also have our Young Entrepreneurs Fair,” said Deidre Dunbar, secretary of Grambling’s Juneteenth Committee. “This is where our Young Entrepreneurs will come out and set up and try to sell things that they’ve created. They’re paying a $5 fee to participate because we wanted them to have some kind of financial responsibility, too, as a learning kind of thing.
“Before COVID, Grambling used to have a stage set up and let people come and perform with poetry, puppets or whatever. We had an overflow of people wanting to participate in our Gospel Concert, so those people will be performing on stage on Saturday, too.”
After taking Sunday as a day of rest, a citywide Exercise Event is slated for 7 p.m. Monday at Grambling City Park.
Starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday will be a Mimosas and Marigolds event at the Grambling City Garden starting at 6 p.m.
Then on Juneteenth itself —- Wednesday — a fishing tournament will be held all day at Grambling City Park followed by a Fish Fry at 5:30 p.m.
Anglers older than 17 will be required to have a Louisiana Fishing License for that event.
