Juneteenth Celebration

Celebrating Juneteenth by telling its story

A trio of events are planned this month for the upcoming Juneteenth Celebration in Ocala, and they offer something for everybody, regardless of age.

1st Annual Juneteenth Celebration

First of all, what is Juneteenth? Simply, Juneteenth is an annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It has been celebrated by African-Americans since the late 1800s. It gets its name because the day all slaves were formally and finally freed – more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation – following the Civil War was June 19, 1865. Juneteenth is short for June 19th.

This year in Ocala, the local Juneteenth festivities will kick off with a performance by Kimberly Wilson at the Circle Square Cultural Center at On Top of the World on Thursday, June 17, from 7-9 p.m.

Wilson performs a one-woman musical – that she also wrote – called “A Journey.” The show focuses on “the strength and influence of Black womanhood.”

“Seven women, seven pivotal generations, present their stories through song, movement and dialogue and how their faith, hope and calling helped shape the America we know today,” is a description of the show in a news release from Wilson.

Wilson’s onstage “journey” includes historical reflections from Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks and Maya Angelou.

“A Journey” is being sponsored by the Bridges Project and Master the Possibilities. Tickets are $2 for members and $7 for non-members.

On Saturday, June 19, the actual Juneteenth, the newly formed Ocala Juneteenth Celebration Committee is planning a day of festivities at Webb Field, 1501 W. Silver Spring Blvd.

The innaugural Annual Juneteenth Celebration will feature food, vendors and entertainment and is intended to celebrate the freedom Juneteenth represents. It is open to the public and will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Finally, Master the Possibilities and Duke Energy are bringing the “Shagmar Pathways to Freedom Exhibit” to Live Oak and Cypress Halls at On Top of the World, June 22-25.

Created by the Rev. Leroy and Emma Chandler, the exhibit features more than 2,000 artifacts from Black history in America, including items from the slave trade and the Civil War to Reconstruction and the Jim Crowe era. The exhibit culminates, historically speaking, with the civil rights movement and the election of Barack Obama as president.

The exhibit is free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, except for June 24th when it will remain open until 7 p.m.

For information about Wilson’s one-woman show or the Chandlers’ exhibit, call Master the Possibilities at 352/861-9751.