Juneteenth event celebrates history, promotes unity

It was hosted by Carnegie Free Library of McKeesport.

Kelsea and Kennedy Branford watch during a Juneteenth parade in Galveston, Texas. AP

Music, games and dancing were part of festivities Thursday as Carnegie Free Library of McKeesport held its sixth annual Juneteenth celebration.

Juneteenth commemorates the moment 160 years ago when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, discovered they had been freed following the end of the Civil War and two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

Mary Rose Bendel, the library’s program and outreach coordinator, said they always have fun hosting the Juneteenth event.

“We’re part of the community, we have a diverse patronage, and we try to celebrate as many events and be as inclusive as we can, as for as many events, as holidays come up,” Bendel said.

The Juneteenth celebration included food, balloon animals, music, some community vendors and local organizations. One of the highlights was entertainment provided by the Soldiers of Praise, a McKeesport-based dance group led by Nakia Bracey.

It’s made up of young people of various ages, ranging from 3 years old to members in their 20s.

“I think it’s very uplifting for them to get together and learn how to love one another, and then our goal is we dance and praise God,” Bracey said. “And this is something that is not forced. This is something, if you want to do it, it’s easier if you want to actually do it. Whenever special events like this happen, they’re so excited.”

Bracey said anyone interested in joining their group can reach out by emailing her at nakia.bracey3@gmail. com.

Bendel had visitors create murals in the shape of a per- son and fill them with reasons why freedom is important. One of the other organizations present at the event was the Take Action Advocacy Group, which gave visitors information on their mission and Juneteenth-themed canvases to paint. Take Action is a McKeesport grassroots organization that aims to empower and equip those experiencing social injustice. Take Action CEO Fawn Walker-Montgomery said the McKeesport library was the perfect place to host a Juneteenth event.

“So you know, the true purpose of Juneteenth is to honor our ancestors and our community,” Walker-Montgomery said. “The libraries are so vital to everyone’s community, they really are like a hidden resource. So when Mary Bendel reached out to us, it made so much sense to have it at the library.”

Take Action and Women for a Healthy Environment, a Pittsburgh-based nonprof- it, held raffles at the event.

Kesa Ahomana, director of development at WHE, was informing people about what they offer.

“We mainly work in schools, early learning centers, homes, and through environmental health policy to tackle things like lead, radon, air quality and mold issues,” Ahomana said. “Just things that happen in your environment that impact your longterm health, but people don’t necessarily know about it or know what to do about it.”

Terry McGeorge, a racial equity fellow at the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, was informing people at the event that those who receive SNAP benefits can get 50% off bus fares within Pittsburgh Regional Transit. He added that Juneteenth is an important event to celebrate.

“If you live in America, you know that Black people, especially Black women, are the most overlooked race there is here in this country, and it’s just important to celebrate us in this way,” Mc-George said. “So Black people have earned the right to be celebrated in a way that’s positive.”

Kingsley Hogan, who lives in White Oak and had children participating in the dancing performance, said holidays like Juneteenth enable communities to come together.

“I love it, you get to enjoy the weather,” Hogan said. “Everyone seeing all the kids play around. You know, nowadays you don’t see a lot of African-American children coming together like this, with no problems, and everyone relaxing, everything. So that’s great.”