Riverwest Currents | Harambee Juneteenth Day

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Harambee Juneteenth Day

Written by Charlesetta Thompson
Sunday, 01 June 2008
“On Thursday, June 19, 2008 we proudly commemorate and celebrate the 140th Anniversary of Juneteenth Day! Juneteenth Day is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the US. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 that Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with the news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. If one does the math it will become clear that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official January 1, 1863. From its origin, this observance has spread across the United States and beyond. Milwaukee’s Northcott Neighborhood House, in charge of the local celebration, is gearing up for this traditional happening. Co-Grand Marshalls are Reuben Harpole, Bobby Webber and Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Dr. Darnell Cole. The festivities will run from 9 AM – 6 PM on King Drive between Center Street and Burleigh Street. The parade will commence at 10th Street and Atkinson Avenue, and proceed down King Drive. An array of booths will feature food, drink, artists, social service, educational institutions, and other vendors. If you like homemade ice cream, fried turkey legs and barbecued ribs, then come on down! Nationally renowned R&B group Silk will be the featured entertainment of the day. Described as having “diamond-smooth harmonies,” and “unbridled passion,” as well as “a rare kind of chivalry from an almost bygone era,” they are “one of the more enigmatic entities in R&B.” Don’t miss this Juneteenth Day celebration! Also Juneteenth Day… America’s Black Holocaust Museum (2233 N. 4th St., 414.264.2500) celebrates Juneteenth Day with the Museum’s 20th Anniversary Celebration. There will be free admission on Thursday, June 19 from 2-5 PM. The 20th Anniversary Exhibit is “Rethinking Racism, the Roots & Routes to the 21st Century.” There will also be a three-part Film Series about the scientific, political, and economic roots of racism on Saturdays, June 7, 14, 21 at 2 PM. The Museum Store features a wide selection of authentic African art including sculptures, masks, and blankets, as well as books and educational materials. More info at blackholocaustmuseum.org Local African-American History Maker Passes At Age 92 Myra “Mikey” Evans nee Morgan was the first Black crossing guard in Milwaukee. She began keeping children safe in 1950 and enjoyed that job for the next five years. Evans briefly drove for the Sterling Taxi Service. She was an avid music lover and rightfully so; being the sister of guitarist Stanley Morgan, who played with the Ink Spots. Her nephew, Frank Morgan worked in the LA Club Alabam backing such artists as Josephine Baker and Billie Holiday. In the heyday of Old Bronzeville when Walnut Street flourished, Evans ran a tavern called the Blue Room at 823 W. Walnut St. Today the site houses the Plymouth Apartments, a residence for seniors. Evans is survived by daughters Aaronetta Anderson and Ossellee Cranshaw- Jones, son Darryl Evans, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a host of loving relatives and dear friends.