May 23, 2013 — vol. 48, no 42
Inside edition
Banner reader Kimberly Smith recently checked in with the following letter to the editor:
“I was just wondering why, [when people] all over the country ... celebrate Juneteenth, the celebration at Franklin Park was just mentioned as a reunion? Did I receive misinformation? I was told that I was attending a Juneteenth celebration. I do realize that there was no mention and very little information on the origin of Juneteenth, and I feel like that’s an injustice to many who just have no clue to why they were celebrating. There’s a history to the celebration and maybe the Banner should have given some insight into the past. The Banner had no problem reporting what was done in Texas, but never named the celebration here anything more than a giant cookout and reunion. Why?”
That’s a mighty fine question, and one that deserves an answer.
First off, you are right. We didn’t have any problem providing readers with a story on the Juneteenth celebration in Dallas, Texas. As you know, Juneteenth was about the shameful story of slaves in Texas and how they learned from Gen. Gordon Granger of their freedom months after the Emancipation Proclamation and end of Civil War.
It’s only natural that the descendants of those slaves there would have a decidedly different view of U.S. history and would plan their celebration accordingly.
The Associated Press story that we published went into great detail about the Dallas commemoration and showed readers the level of involvement that those planners had incorporated into their two days of events, starting with the transformation of a farm into an 18th century African village — complete with African cuisine and tribal drumming — and ending with the arrival of slave traders.
As you also know, Boston didn’t have quite the same celebration. It could be the result of Boston’s history, where people of color were “free” dating back to well before the Civil War and into the 18th century. Rightly or wrongly, slavery as a practice doesn’t hold much currency here. But slavery as a moral outrage does, and no other place in America can argue with Boston's historical place as the home of the abolitionists, the fieriest of civil rights advocates.
But the history of slavery — and the role of abolitionists — does not play a major part in the annual Juneteenth celebration in Franklin Park.
What appears to matter most is the idea of family and reuniting with old friends. Some people traveled hundreds of miles to be a part of the homecoming, and while Juneteenth was frequently mentioned in conversations, it wasn’t the dominant theme of the day. Being at home with family and friends was.
The piece we ran on the front page captured that feeling in a beautiful way. The photo of John Wyche smiling, with his arm around the shoulder of his daughter Niambi, was also poignant.
Here’s the bottom line:
Every story can’t tell everything.
That’s why we published both.
Howard Manly is the executive editor of The Bay State Banner. Want to let him know what you think? E-mail him at hmanly@bannerpub.com or sound off in the comments.
| Jun 10 16:47pm by Leslie [209.104.254.46] | |
I'm under the impression if many people don't know why they're celebrating Juneteenth at Franklin Park, then this might be the time to give the full history annually so that people will get the full gist of the African American experience as to Juneteenth after slavery. I do believe undoubetdly that there is a real connection in this so called "family reunion and giant cookout." Family members lost after slavery, getting together to reunite after being torn apart during slavery. Let us not forget the full experience of slavery and its history and as an African American newspaper, it shoudl be encumbant upon you that whenever you get a chance, to tell about our history, so that the young people coming up will be informed about our past. Who else better to tell the African American experience during slavery in America but a Black newspaper with archival material of its past. Please always print as many historical events whenever possible. |
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| Oct 14 9:11am by Gloria [171.161.160.10] | |
I know the history of Juneteenth. I have read as much as I could on Juneteenth. (smile). So I think if anyone went to Franklin Park for Juneteenth should read up on all there is to know Juneteenth. And if you do than you would know that having a picnic is part of the celebration for Juneteenth. We, i.e. my sister, her family and I go to Franklin Park every year to celebrate Juneteenth, but it also a time when you see people that you haven't seen in years. It would be nice if the people who plan the event printed up some info on Juneteenth to pass out to those who come to celebrate Juneteenth and celebrate us as a people.
There's alot of there for anyone who's interested in Juneteenth. |
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| Jul 4 13:04pm by T-Scribe [24.60.9.183] | |
| If a picure's worth a thousand words, then the Governor Patrick's trek was an apt backdrop to complement both the historic Roxbury Homecoming and newly Boston celebration of Juneteenth. As a native of the Dorchester section of B-town, I appreciate the organizers of Roxbury's Homecoming hosting and accepting this hypherated event on their traditional turf. To me, the event symbolized two things: Love and Unity. As a photographer, I couldn't count the number of times I saw people approaching each other with the greatest of love and admiration. I can only imagine what black folk from Arkansas or Oklahoma might have felt while approaching their long lost loved ones from Texas or vice versa back in circa 1865. It probably was something like when my niece, Iris, approached me with her toddler son, asking if I was her uncle (after decades of my incarceration). How did she recognized me? She said I looked like her aunt 'Teach! (I've never heard that recognition before-she must be family)!! BTW, I think Brother Yawu should be commended for interviewing people in the park in general, and Billy Celester in particular. As his turn around has resulted in part as to awht we know as the Boston Miracle! | |
| Jul 3 19:41pm by 74.10.198.111 | |
| As a child of Boston I attended a yearly event called " Sunday Picnic" once a year with my family. It took place I believe in Springfield, somewhere outside of Boston. It was a big event and people came from all over. It wasn't until I was an adult that I was told that it was the Juneteenth celebration. Maybe it was not mentioned because they were afraid that people would try to dog their pastors and discourage it. (Rev. Wright folks) | |
| Jul 3 16:48pm by ZumbideRoxbury [71.243.109.110] | |
The Roxbury Reunion comes on or around Juneteenth each year, This year it was on June 21st. Therefore, many in the community refer to it as Roxbury's Juneteenth celebration with the knowledge that it is in harmony with the celebrations being held in Texas, Oklahoma, and other areas of the country. We do know history! However, the article by Yawu Miller rings of the class/ethnic warfare that has permeated Boston black life for eons. In other words, Mr. Miller got it wrong and had very limited information and exposure to even attempt such an article. The piece also insulted many hard working and striving families who live and have lived in Roxbury. The topic sentence sounded like things that I have read written by whites who witnessed Negro picnics for the first time because he neither knew nor understood what was going on at the event. Neighborhoods, families, individuals, organizations, and social clubs (past and present) establish, each year at the event, tents where people who are friends and acquaintances could locate each other. A wide variety of foods were served and I did not in my travels detect any alcoholic beverages being either served or consumed. The really criminal social clubs that existed "back in the day" and that were classified as "threats to society" were not mentioned in the article. But due to the high attrition of the "thug life" these criminal elements were not even sparesly represented at the gathering (except for the presence of a few individuals who long ago altered their lifestyles in order to survive). Finally, Governor Deval Patrick's energetic, motivating, and charismatic trek through the picnic gounds was downplayed in the anemic article that trashed us in the eyes of the outside world by stereotyping us. The Banner, hopefully, is capable of better coverage in the future. Did anyone on the Banner's staff bother to discuss the event with the devoted organizers? |
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| Jul 2 10:30am by lee [209.113.154.170] | |
The reunion celebration at Franklin Field has been happening for years and has always been named Roxbury Homecoming. The Juneteenth holiday has only recently become a popular hoilday and I do not see why the longstanding Roxbury Homecoming needs to change it's name and focus just to keep up with the latest trend. People come far and wide to honor and celebrate a great hometown - Roxbury. The Banner was correct in keeping the focus on that for the article. |
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