One Warsaw Holding Juneteenth Event SaturdayOne Warsaw is putting on its fifth Juneteenth event Saturday at the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds Shrine Building, 1400 E. Smith St., Warsaw.
Juneteenth, or Freedom Day, is the oldest internationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 the Union soldiers, led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and slaves were free.
Doors for Saturday’s event will open at 5 p.m., with people invited to be at the event from 6 to 8 p.m. Sara Strahan, One Warsaw committee member, said people don’t have to RSVP for the event, but it is preferred they do at the Juneteenth Celebration Facebook page.
There will be a celebration program where there will be music and members of the Warsaw Community High School Coalition for Black Culture, an after-school teacher-sponsored club, will be asked to talk about what Juneteenth means to them, said Strahan.
During the event, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy Shaun Mudd, who started an anti-bullying campaign in the county, will be the featured speaker.
There also will be an economic and community panel discussion by owner and founder of Glitter Hair and Beauty Supply Raquel Hoyt, retired Ivy Tech Chancellor Bill Smith and Snyder Strategy Realty Realtor Alicia Taylor.
During the event, there will be craft activities and games for community members. An hors d’oeuvre buffet with sausage bites, corn bread and collard green creations from 110 Craft Meatery will be available.
Strahan said she feels Juneteenth is important is because the holiday is an important part of history that shouldn’t be forgotten. Everyone should be celebrating any sort of civil rights gains the country has.
She hopes people can bring community, unity and education together during the event. She hopes the event brings about a level of education about Juneteenth, along with community connectivity.
