Juneteenth Celebration in Albion • Albion Michigan - General Guide to the Community %

Even though there will be no formal Juneteenth celebration with large groups of people in Albion in 2020, there are things happening.

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day and Black Independence Day, is a commemoration of the complete emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. In June 1865, two months after the Civil War had ended and two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed, federal troops finally reached the western edge of the Confederacy to share the news. While the abolishment of slavery had been signed into law for two and a half years, nearly a quarter of a million enslaved people in Texas had no idea their freedom had long been decried. The following year was the first Juneteenth celebration, which takes place on the 19th of June each year.

This year community organizers and stakeholders worldwide are petitioning for formal recognition of the day of celebration as a federal holiday. This comes amidst the public’s emerging awareness of health disparities across racial lines, highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the recent explosion of calls for justice and safety in response to police brutality, all beg the nation to look at how it can improve. Juneteenth is a day to reflect on the countless ways America has been cultivated and built through the achievements of African Americans. 2020 celebrations are looking even deeper, toward visions of a nation that recognizes the power of “opposites” working in tandem.

Here in Albion, the celebrations will be different this year as well. See below for more information from the formal organizers of Albion’s annual celebration.

It is a celebration of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Many Black families came to Albion 100 years ago to work at Albion foundries, in particular, the Malleable foundry.

Albion celebrates Juneteenth on the Saturday before Father’s Day.

From City Councilperson Lenn Reid: June 13, 2020:

“Albion Family,
The Juneteenth Committee will not be doing a community celebration due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We were all prepared but feel it safer to wait until things improve healthwise. This does not mean you should forget WHY we celebrate Juneteenth. Take time to reflect on what bought it about, talk with your children about it and be sure to THANK GOD for his GOODNESS and MERCY. Be Blessed!”

From Albion’s NAACP on Facebook:

NAACP

June 11 at 5:29 PM ·

IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR!!!!

While some are using this day to divide, the NAACP in partnership with @revolttv will use #Juneteenth to bring our family back together! Join us June 19th @ 4pm LIVE ON YOUTUBE for the #BlackFamilyReunion as we talk about the music, the moments and the movement!

Last year, 2019, due to the rainy weather, Juneteenth was held at Washington Gardner School, June 15, 2019, starting at noon. Visit the official Facebook page for complete information about the 2019 Juneteenth event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/317958145771670/

Albion continues its Juneteenth celebration of freedom. This photo is from 2018. In 2019, due to rain, the event was held at Washington Gardner School.

Look below for the history of Juneteenth and past photos of some attendees.

The tradition is to start at Albion City Hall on Cass Street with a proclamation and words from the mayor at 11 a.m. Then there is a processional walk to Holland Park where there will be a day of fun and festivities.

There are usually games for children and adults, face painting, a story tent, Old school music, line dancing, and basketball. The Albion Public Safety Department is there with the fire truck and fire hose to show our young people how to be safe when there’s a fire.

There is a food court with a BBQ, friends, music, and art.

The day concludes with a Rememberance Circle and a Gospel Fest starting at 5.

This is a part of America’s History just as Memorial Day and the 4th of July are. Let’s find ways to celebrate our achievements together.

Everyone is invited to come, have fun and fellowship!

juneteenth_celebration_albion_michigan_900px — Albion’s 2018 Juneteenth Celebration began at City Hall, and then there was a parade up to Holland Park for the main celebration.

See a short video about when Albion factories invited African-American workers from the south to relocate to Albion as part of the Great Migration by clicking here:
https://albionmich.net/labor-day-albion-tour-of-history-hill/

Holland Park has a monument to local civil rights activist Robert Holland.

See some posts about Holland Park, and Robert Holland by clicking the image above or clicking here:

https://albionmich.net/?s=holland&id=5904

August 1 remained a common date for celebrating emancipation in Michigan for many years. In Albion, Emancipation Day was celebrated at Booker T. Washington Community House. One historical account discusses the city’s 1927 Emancipation Day event, which reportedly drew over 3,200 African-Americans from across the state.

The event included a number of speeches, a boxing match between local youths, a baseball game, and a ball with music provided by Albion’s city band. At one point, many people gathered for a photograph:

A crowd of Black Michiganders celebrating Emancipation Day on August 1, 1927 in Albion.

Learn more about some even earlier Albion Black history from this post on AlbionMich.COM by Albion Historian Frank Passic: 19th CENTURY BLACK HISTORY IN ALBION

Historian Bob Wall shares information about African-American Presence in Albion on this article:

https://albionmich.net/aauw_bob_wall_lecture_black_history_2020/

Current events from TIME magazine – Activists are pushing to make Juneteenth a national holiday:

https://time.com/5853800/juneteenth-national-holiday/

Excerpt:
“But, as history has made clear, freedom from slavery didn’t mean freedom from white supremacy. Local and state laws, policing practices and lynchings restricted the “absolute equality” promised by General Orders 3. Thus, the holiday has come to represent a promise unfulfilled, and each Juneteenth is a time to both reflect on that need and to bolster the hope that full equality and freedom can yet be achieved.”

Read a story by Michelle Mueller “The black-white divide continues in coronavirus deaths”

Juneteenth is known for its emphasis on education and achievement. It is a time for reflecting and rejoicing. It is also a time for assessment, self-improvement, and planning for the future. This year community organizers and stakeholders worldwide are petitioning for Juneteenth’s formal recognition as a national holiday. These efforts come amidst the public’s emerging awareness of health disparities across racial lines, highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, widespread calls for justice and safety have increased recently in conjunction with the Black Lives Matter movement, which began 7 years ago to protest the death of unarmed people of color at the hands of police. Juneteenth is a day to reflect on the countless ways America has been cultivated and built through the achievements of African Americans. The 2020 Juneteenth celebrations are looking even deeper, toward visions of a nation that appreciates the power of “opposites” working in tandem.

“Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long overdue. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities, and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements to our society.” -Monica Pirani, quoting www.juneteenth.com/history.htm