VERNON (KFDX/KJTL) — Though it wasn’t June 19th, Vernon’s fifth annual Juneteenth celebration brought the whole city together.
Vernon police and firefighters joined in the celebration by taking part in games organized by the Juneteenth Committee, and Norris Thomas, senior adviser to the committee, said Saturday’s large turnout meant he hopes Juneteenth in Vernon will continue to grow.
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“I’m very excited and encouraged,” Thomas said. “It gets bigger and bigger every year, so I’m excited. It’s encouraging to say the possibilities are endless. I think we’ll become the epitome of Juneteenth celebrations in Texama.”
As people mingled and tailgated around Christine Liddy Park, speakers from the Juneteenth Committee spoke about the purpose and origins of Juneteenth, from the holiday’s beginnings as the anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation to today’s holiday celebrating Black history and culture.
That history was on display on the T-shirts worn by Dametrius Murray and other members of the Juneteenth Committee.
“This shirt says ‘Against the Odds We Achieve’ and I think that says it all,” Murray said. “Black people have overcome hard times and all kinds of experiences. We are still achieving against the odds.”
As much as Juneteenth celebrates Black history, it also highlights the importance of coming together as a community. Charles McArthur talks about North Vernon’s history and hopes that today’s celebrations can help revive a once thriving part of the city.
“You can’t beat this situation where everybody’s having a good time. Nobody’s swearing. Nobody’s fighting. We’re just celebrating Juneteenth and having a good time. That’s it,” McArthur said.
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With hope for a brighter future and the next Juneteenth.
