The Frederick Douglass Honor Society and the Academy Art Museum recently announced plans for a Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 20, 2015, at the Academy Art Museum in Easton, Maryland.
Juneteenth, one of the most important African American holidays in the country, marks the abolition of slavery. It commemorates the date – June 19, 1865 – when the slaves in Galveston, Texas first received the word of the Emancipation Proclamation, which Abraham Lincoln had issued two and one-half years earlier on January 1, 1863.
According to Eric Lowery, President of the Frederick Douglass Honor Society, “Our goal is to celebrate the significant contributions of African Americans in our country, and reflect on the common values and ideals that we share as a community.
This year’s Juneteenth Celebration will honor African American achievement in the field of education. The program will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will include a keynote address by a national educator, recognition of the contributions of African American teachers on the Eastern Shore, and a photography collection of historic images of African American schools and students in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Other activities will include a performance of African dance and music, local church choirs, inspirational readings by emerging young leaders, art projects for children and families, a “knowledge fair” that showcases African-American community organizations and programs, and food and craft vendors.
The program is free and open to the entire community. For more information about the Juneteenth Celebration, visit the Frederick Douglass Honor Society at https://www.frederickdouglasshonorsociety.org/ or the Academy Art Museum athttps://www.academyartmuseum.org/.
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