Community Events
Front Royal Community Marks Juneteenth Celebration
Community members gathered to recognize Juneteenth, the national holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States and honoring African American history, culture, and freedom.
Gazebo Ground Zero for Friday’s third annual Juneteenth memorial remembrance and celebration in Front Royal/Warren County. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini
Juneteenth is observed each year on June 19 and marks the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. Although President Abraham Lincoln issued the proclamation in 1863, many enslaved people in Texas did not learn they were free until more than two years later.
According to historical accounts, Union General Gordon Granger announced General Order No. 3 upon arriving in Texas, officially declaring enslaved people there free. Nearly 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were affected by the order.
The following year, newly freed African Americans began celebrating the occasion as “Jubilee Day,” laying the foundation for what would become Juneteenth celebrations across the nation. The observance spread as Black families moved to different parts of the country, carrying the tradition with them.
Texas became the first state to recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday in 1979. In 2021, Juneteenth was designated a federal holiday in the United States.
Reverend Alfred Woods delivers the Opening Prayer after being introduced by event MC, comedian Howard “G” Gaskins, to the left. Below, Warren-Page County NAACP branch President Gene Kilby has introduced Gospel musical duet Chosen to continue the religiously inspired musical edge of the Juneteenth event. Their chosen song was “Lift Every Voice & Sing”.
This year’s local celebration featured a variety of speakers, performers, and community participants. Scheduled participants included Rev. Harold Brown Sr., Kennaye Tigney, Rebecca Althizer, Tanai Banks-Roy, Jona and Shalom Masiya, The Spiritual Harmonizers of Northern Virginia, Yolanda “Yodi” Baltimore, Roslyn Ella Honesty, and the Good Morning Tomorrow Band.
The aforementioned MC, comedian “G” — Howard Gaskins — took over the event introductions and playful interludes. Those opening introductions included Front Royal Town Councilman Bruce Rappaport and Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairman Cheryl Cullers, both of whom welcomed participants to this community. “G” may have missed developing some comedic material by not commenting on Culler’s last name, as in What ‘Cullers’ is the board chairman bringing to the Juneteenth celebration?”
The event highlighted the importance of remembering the nation’s history while celebrating unity, resilience, and cultural heritage within the community.
Chosen displayed great complementary vocalizations in their performances. ENCORES Chosen!! is this attendee’s verdict on their participation.
Kyra Williams, described as a “Recent Graduate of Skyline High School,” introduced “Educator, Scholar, and Advocate for Education Equity” Ashley Taylor to the assembled. Below, the pair hugged as Taylor approached the dais to trace the origins of the Juneteenth celebration of the liberation of slaves as the American Civil War ground to a conclusion.
Two crowd shots as attendees try to balance proximity to the Juneteenth presentations with exposure to direct sunlight, raising temperatures throughout the noon to 7 p.m. event.
Four event attendees were invited to improvise some dance steps to recorded music, promised to be familiar with by MC “G”. Below, that improvization takes flight.
As crowd members relax, following the invited dance improvization by crowd members, the Hope and Holiness Praise Dancers from Winchester were presented to perform their creative endeavors. Those endeavors looked pretty impressive before they were sabotaged by a malfunctioning recorded sound system.
Near the end our stint at the Juneteenth celebration Lisa Frye Pacemaker & the Ted Trio took the stage to display their soulful musical edge.
A series of shots displaying the Juneteenth message of racial and social equity. First, Black Lives DO Matter, then Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. Unfortunately, it was one during the mid-20th-century Civil Rights Movement that cost him his life. Then a Juneteenth T-shirt available for purchase to carry the message “Believe, Achieve, Succeed” year round. And finally, a happy Juneteenth to us all.
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