Lake Norman Publications

Lincolnton event to feature musicians, poets



 

LINCOLNTON — The Arts Council of Lincoln County, in collaboration with the city of Lincolnton, will hold its first Juneteenth event in downtown Lincolnton on June 19. 

 

What is Juneteenth? 

Juneteenth is a holiday to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. The first celebration took place in Texas on June 19, 1865, when slaves were declared free under the terms of the Emancipation Proclamation issued three years earlier. 

While celebrations of the holiday are normally filled with spiritual music, dancing and fellowship, Betty Gwynn, a Black Denver resident, said the day marks a time when the country failed Black people. 

“America made us feel like we were invaders, and we were brought here by them,” Gwynn explained. 

Gwynn said the day should be used to teach the next generation in detail about the trials Black people went through during the two centuries they were kept as slaves, and the time that followed in the Jim Crow era. 

“We must develop a plan where we teach our young people our true history,” she said. “I am convinced that, if you don’t know your history, you’re destined to repeat it.” 

On its recent 100-year anniversary, the Tulsa Race Massacre — where mobs of white people attacked Black residents and destroyed homes and businesses in the city’s Greenwood District, known as Black Wall Street — was covered by nearly every national publication. Gwynn noted that similar atrocities took place across the country.

“They tried to build over their graves, and they were stopped,” she added. 

Gwynn’s daughter, Joelle, the owner of Pride Beauty Supply & Salon in Denver, said social media allows people who have studied the history behind Juneteenth to control the narrative, giving them the means to describe what happened leading up to the liberation of thousands of enslaved Black citizens to a large audience.  

“Thanks to social media, we’re able to put out our own narrative and history, so a lot of the communities and the cultures are becoming aware of this and understanding the importance of recognizing this time,” she said. 

 

The festival

The event will feature performances from John Fitzegerald McGill, a guitarist, songwriter and producer who has worked with big names like Tyler Perry, Kelly Price and Freda Battle; and Sheena Maria, a poet who has shared the stage with prominent civil rights activists like Cornel West and Nikki Giovanni. Praise teams from Providence Missionary Baptist Church and Gold Hill Missionary Baptist Church will also be there to provide entertainment. 

Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about Harriett Tubman and how she led former slaves to freedom in Canada, and take a trip on The Little Blue Choo, a trackless train that will be providing rides to children and adults throughout the event. 

A lineup of 30 artists and vendors specializing in a variety of mediums including henna tattoos and African hair-braiding will also be part of the festival. 

Arts Council of Lincoln County Executive Director Deanna Williams-McGinnis said the festival, originally planned for last year, was canceled due to COVID-19. Her plan is to make the event a tradition in downtown Lincolnton, similar to the Lincoln County Apple Festival. 

“I’m really excited,” Williams-McGinnis said, adding the event took nearly three months of planning by multiple subcommittees. “It really took a village to pull this together.” 

 

Want to go?

The Lincolnton Juneteenth celebration will be at First Federal Park, 201 N. Poplar St., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit artslincolnnc.com

 

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