Freedom Strike walkers during last year’s Juneteenth celebration in Royal Oak. (City of Royal Oak photo)
Royal Oak will hold its fourth annual Juneteenth celebration Wednesday with activities, speakers, educators and a freedom walk as part of events commemorating the 1865 abolition of slavery in the United States.
The event will be held June 19th from 3pm to 8pm at Centennial Commons.
New to the Farmers Market this year is the traveling Black History 101 Museum, started by Dr. Khalid El Hakim, showcasing Black history from slavery to hip hop culture. The museum’s collection consists of more than 10,000 artifacts.
“There will be historical displays, artifacts, chains used during slavery and other items on display,” said Carvel Wilkins, chair of the city’s Juneteenth committee.
Wilkins’ sister, Royal Oak resident Lakisha Morrison, serves as vice chair of the committee. Wilkins and Morrison are descendants of black settlers who moved to what is now Royal Oak before the Civil War to buy land and farms.
“My ancestors escaped slavery and made their way to Canada and then moved to Royal Oak where they worked for the Starr family and were able to purchase the land we still own,” Wilkins said, adding that he and his sister plan to publish a book about their family history.
Carvel Wilkins and Lakeisha Morrison are brother and sister and Juneteenth organizers who are descendants of Henry and Elizabeth Hamer, who emigrated to Royal Oak from Covington, Kentucky, on their own in the 1860s. (City of Royal Oak photo)
One of the biggest highlights of the event will be the Freedom Strive Walk. Participants will arrive at 3pm and create a poster to carry with them during the walk. The Juneteenth Committee will provide the materials needed to create the poster.
At 4 p.m., marchers will begin walking about a mile and 1,865 steps from Centennial Commons along Troy Street, then proceed to Sixth Street, Main Street and back to the downtown park.
Diversity, equity and inclusion educator Cornelius Godfrey is scheduled to speak shortly before the march begins.
“There’s black people, there’s white people, there’s a lot of diversity,” Wilkins said. “There’s no hostility. We’re all here to have a good time. There aren’t a lot of events that bring the community together to understand and love each other.”
He said Royal Oak’s Juneteenth events are getting better and better.
“Last year we had about 1,200 people come in one day,” Wilkins said.
Hundreds of people took part in last year’s Freedom March, which is meant to honor the strength and courage of black people who fought for freedom and rights, acknowledge the hardships they endured as slaves, and celebrate their freedom.
Juneteenth (Freedom Day) celebrations began as early as 1866, when a Union general in Galveston, Texas, issued a general order at the end of the American Civil War that ended slavery in the state under the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.
Juneteenth (June 19th) will be a federal holiday in 2021, and the number of cities and towns recognizing the holiday as a celebration has grown over the past few years.
Volunteers from the Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Association lead a child on a horse ride at Centennial Commons. (City of Royal Oak photo)
Judy David, another member of the Juneteenth committee, said the farmers market, which will feature the Black History 101 Mobile Museum, will have book distribution, concessions, shopping, food trucks, music and air conditioning.
Centennial Commons offers free horseback tours organized by the Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Association, a group of African-American soldiers who served in the U.S. Army from the 1800s through the Korean War.
Buffalo Soldiers often rode horses, and the reason they ride on Juneteenth is so people can remember what they did and how they contributed to the American West.
Detroit Pistons star Jaden Ivey returns this year for basketball shooting drills and autograph signings. (City of Royal Oak photo)
Detroit Pistons star Jaden Ivey will be returning to Royal Oak’s Juneteenth celebrations again this year.
There will also be free Ray’s ice cream distributed at Centennial Commons, spray jets operating in the park and plenty of rock climbing walls and outdoor games provided by Oakland County Mobile Recreations.
Activities on this day will include face painting, treasure hunts, dancers, music and more.
“One of the most popular events at our Juneteenth celebration is a tug-of-war contest with a real fire hose, pitting kids against Royal Oak firefighters,” David said. “The kids won two years in a row, so the firefighters will be practicing hard for the rematch.”
