ASHEBORO N.C. – Juneteenth, the oldest national holiday celebrating the ending of slavery in the United States takes place this month, and there are several events planned in Randolph County.
Historian Smallwood returns to Asheboro library for Juneteenth talk
The history and importance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the 1865 proclamation announcing the end slavery in the United States, is the topic of a talk by Dr. Arwin Smallwood at the Asheboro Public Library, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 15.
Smallwood, chair of the History Department at North Carolina A& T State University, will talk about the impact of enslavement not just on African Americans, but on all Americans, and the historic effort require to abolish it. He will draw attention to slavery in North Carolina, and the over 5,000 African Americans, Native Americans and white people who fought to end it.
He also will explain why the celebration of Juneteenth brings a powerful sense of pride about the commitment that African Americans have made to the betterment of their lives and those of their children, grandchildren, and future generations.
Smallwood’s talk is free, and the public is invited.
Historian Dr. Karen L. Cox Phd Explains the History of Confederate Monuments
Dr. Karen Cox has written three books about Southern history and Confederate monuments. She talks about the myths surrounding these monuments. Dr. Cox also chronicles the struggles communities have faced trying to get Confederate monuments moved.
This event will take place on Friday, June 16th, 2023 at 6:30pm at the GWCCC
Juneteenth Celebration
The Hope of Eastside also is hosting a Juneteenth Celebration at Asheboro’s Eastside Park, 627 Brewer St., on Saturday, June 17. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature vendors, food, and performers. For more information, email thehopeofeastside@gmail.com.
Juneteenth Memorial
A Juneteenth Memorial will be erected on Thursday, June 15; Friday, June 16; and Monday, June 19, in front of the Historic Randolph County Courthouse. The Memorial honors those individuals in Randolph County who were bought or sold into slavery. Using records from the county’s Register of Deeds as a source, the Memorial will display the names of more than 1,100 people — from infants to the elderly — how much they were bought and sold for or valued as, and the dates of these transactions. The memorial will be up during daylight hours.
Juneteenth March
On Monday, June 19th, 2023, there will be a march at 3 p.m. from Greater St. John’s Baptist Church, 819 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Asheboro, the site of Civil Rights training and activism in the 1960s, to the Memorial where flowers will be laid at the base of the Memorial to honor those who were enslaved.
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. The name comes from combining “June” and “nineteenth”, a date connected to the anniversary of General Order Number 3 in Texas, on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in the state.
“The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.”
Texas – General Order Number 3
Learn more: https://www.juneteenth.com/history/