First Local Celebration of ‘Juneteenth’ Anniversary of the 1865 Freeing of 250,000 Texas Slaves Heats up the Gazebo Stage

From noon to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19, in the Gazebo-anchored Village Commons Park in Historic Downtown Front Royal, the Warren County community hosted its inaugural acknowledgement of the “Juneteenth” anniversary of implementation of the legal abolition of slavery in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas on June 19, 1865. We’ll let the website of the National Museum of African American History & Culture explain the impetus for Juneteenth:

The Gazebo was ground zero for special guest introductions and entertainment that punctuated the community’s first Juneteenth holiday celebration. Hopefully, we can collectively meet the challenge to “learn from the past for a better future.” Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

“On ‘Freedom’s Eve,’ or the eve of January 1, 1863, the first Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. At the stroke of midnight, prayers were answered as all enslaved people in Confederate States were declared legally free. Union soldiers, many of whom were black, marched onto plantations and across cities in the south reading small copies of the Emancipation Proclamation spreading the news of freedom in Confederate States …

“But not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as ‘Juneteenth,’ by the newly freed people in Texas …

“Juneteenth marks our country’s second independence day. Although it has long been celebrated in the African American community, this monumental event remains largely unknown to most Americans,” the National Museum of African American History & Culture observes.

Emancipation Day celebration, June 19, 1900 held in ‘East Woods’ on E. 24th Street in Austin, Texas. And 124 years later in Front Royal, Va. on June 19, 2024, in the early to mid-afternoon the crowd retreated under the shade of trees as temperatures hit the low to mid-90s. Public Domain Photo Credit thru National Museum of African American History & Culture from the Austin History Center

We contacted people involved in the 2024 “Juneteenth” anniversary here on why it is an important date to memorialize. We were initially alerted to a post by Warren County Democratic Committee Chair Kris Nelson on the importance of this date to all our histories, regardless of our racial or ethnic heritage:

“It’s not enough to be passive observers, we must actively engage with the history, struggles, and ongoing fight for justice that this day represents for the Black community. We must educate ourselves, confront our privileges, and amplify the voices of those who have been marginalized. Juneteenth demands our unity and commitment to building a world where freedom and equality are not just ideals but realities for all,” Nelson wrote.

‘Your voice, your vote’ is important whether you are a member of the Kris Nelson-led local political committee, its local counterpart which we did not see present, or of neither as a political independent. Below, the written voices of several Kilby women, including Betty Kilby Baldwin, back to camera, chatting with Woodstock visitor Peggy Pye, were available for interested readers.

We reached out to local event co-organizer Gene Kilby for a perspective on bringing this holiday into the local consciousness of all county citizens. “Slavery was one the darkest times in the U.S. for African-Americans. Our ancestors suffered extreme brutality for over 250 years. Suetta Freeman and myself as co-chairs on the Revitalization Committee for the Warren/Page NAACP realized that most counties around Warren County and Front Royal were having a celebration of this glorious occasion. We wanted our community also to be aware of the significance of this great moment in history. We formed an Event Committee and we met once a week for about two months to bring our 1st annual Juneteenth celebration to fruition. Education and communication brings about understanding. Together our community can be better,” Kilby asserted with an eye on a 2025 Juneteenth celebration number two here.

Co-organizer Suetta Freeman, left at microphone, got Juneteenth 2024 in Front Royal rolling with a series of introductions, including of MC Rev. Olric Wilkins, below blue shirt, who introduced Rev. Alfred Woods to lead the Opening Prayer.

For an additional photographic look at acknowledged guests, speakers, and live entertainment at the inaugural Juneteenth 2024 in Front Royal, Virginia, continue to scroll down.

Above, Stephanie Banks was recognized as tribute was paid to her dad, former Town Councilman and Mayor George Banks. Below, Ashley Taylor was introduced to speak to the history of Juneteenth.

Centenarian-plus 1 Pearl Jordan, left, was helped to the podium to begin acknowledments of local NAACP members who have contributed much to their community over sometimes difficult years.

Centarian-minus 2, Lillian Sloane continued those NAACP acknowledgments, as did …

Betty Roberts, and …

Charles Barbour.

Front Royal Mayor Lori Cockrell made Juneteenth an officially acknowledged community event.

The entertainment was kicked off by The Spiritual Harmonizers of Northern Virginia.

The Mount Vernon Baptist Church booth

The Women’s Resource Center

And I was assured ‘all were welcome’ – even your humble reporter with his camera.

And later in the day around 5 p.m. as the shade from the sun extended toward the gazebo stage area, Bobby G & The Heavies brought Northern Virginia’s top Rhythm & Blues act to the stage, and beyond as Bobby G began some R&B ‘preaching’ to the crowd, eventually drawing some of his band mates down for some guitar interaction.

Give the sax player some.

And we can’t wait to celebrate the end of slavery again, next Juneteenth!