June Unite Page 12
June 2017 Volume 27/ Number 6 • A Monthly Publication by Unite of Southwest Missouri, Inc •
www.unitenewsonline.org
UNITE.
SCT Opens 23rd Season with “Beehive: The '60’s Musical” See Story On Page 8
Juneteenth:
Building Empowering Connections In Our Diverse Community
Black History Summer Academy Starts Springfield, MO—The Black History Summer Academy will be held at the Deliverance Gwen Marshall Temple Ministries Campus, 2101 W. Chestnut Expwy., June 12th - 16th. Doors will be open at 5:30 pm. The program will start each evening from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Continued on page 11
Community Agency Seeks Advisory Council Members Springfield, MO—Prosper Springfield is establishing an Advisory Council to advance Francine Pratt the Impacting Poverty Commission’s goal to reduce poverty in the Springfield area by five percent by 2025 and to build an environment in which Continued on Page 2
Place: Deliverance Temple Ministries Campus, 2101 W Chestnut Expwy., Door open each evening at 5:30 pm, Program from 6-8:30 pm
Snacks each night. For more information contact Gwen Marshall at 417- 693-5753 or Register online at: tinyurl.com/BHA2017
Our Other Independence Day
Two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, American slavery came to an end and a celebration of freedom was born by Kenneth C. Davis smithsonian.com America’s birthday is fast approaching. But let’s not wait for July 4 to light the fireworks. There is another Independence Day on the horizon. Juneteenth falls on June 19 each year. It is a holiday whose history was hidden for much of the last century. But as the nation now observes the 150th anniversary of the Civil War’s onset, it is a holiday worth recognizing. In essence, Juneteenth marks what is arguably the most significant event in American history after independence itself—the eradication of American slavery. For centuries, slavery was the dark stain on America’s soul, the deep contradiction to the nation’s founding ideals of “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” and “All men are created equal.” When Abraham Continued on page 2
The official Juneteenth Committee in East Woods Park, Austin, Texas on June 19, 1900. (Courtesy Austin History Center, Austin Public Library)
Springfield Juneteenth Celebration Springfield, MO—The Springfield Juneteenth will be held Saturday, June 17 from 11:30 Cheryl Clay to 4:00 at the Bartley-Decatur Neighborhood Center, 918 E Calhoun. “There will be community organizations featuring local non profit information, various community and religious organizations and craft items will be for sale. The event will feature the Greene county Library book mobile,
Springfield Art Museum, Springfield Police department, as well as a Springfield fire department truck. There will be various skits, readings and musical selections featured throughout the day. The bands playing this year will be; Brother Ray and the Sometimes Righteous will take the stage at 1:00 and Shawn Munday will take the stage at 2:00. DJ Hugh Harvey will provide music throughout the afternoon,” says Cheryl Clay, Springfield NAACP President. Call 873-6386 for more info.