Juneteenth celebration begins today

A participant in the 1965 civil rights march from Selma, Ala., to Montgomery, Ala., the Rev. F. S. Scott, 92, Shawnee, and Oklahoma artist Kelly Haney will be among those celebrating the annual Juneteenth commemoration, which will begin today and continue throughout Saturday.
Scott will serve as co-grand marshall, along with Bethilyn Kennedy, 91, Shawnee, for the Saturday parade 11 a.m. at the Old Sante Fe Depot.
“Anyone who wants to come out and join in the parade is welcome,” Dorothy Cook, event coordinator, said. “We want our kids to know where they came from.”
Prior to Saturday’s parade, an evening of gospel music will be held, beginning at 6:30, at the Shawnee Community Center, 804 S. Park.
After the parade, guests are invited to gather for gospel singing, inflatables, storytellers and “a time to fellowship,” Cook said.
Several vendors from across the state will be at the event, including local snow cone vendors, and commemorative t-shirts will be available for $10.
Door prizes will be awarded during the event.
This year marks the 16th celebration of Juneteenth in Shawnee. The event has been hosted since its inception by the Dunbar Heights Community Group.
Scott, a retired pastor, attended the first Juneteenth celebration in Galveston, Texas, many years ago, he said.
“A group of us heard about it and decided we’d get together and see what it was all about,” Scott said. “We learned that the slaves had been freed on June 19 and farmers came from all around to donate food. It was held the 18th, 19th and 20th and we drank lemonade and Kool-Aid and played ball, marbles, horseshoes and dominoes.
“It lasted all night long and into the next day. Those who could cook did; those who could barbecue did; whoever could help did what they knew how to do.”
Scott said although the idea of having the celebration locally, in Shawnee, was not his own, he did play a part in its original organization here.
“I was in on it, helped to organize it,” Scott said. “It was a great event and then we started having a parade. It’s a great thing to let people know — a lot of the young people don’t know what happened and don’t realize and understand what went on and what others went through.
“I didn’t experience a lot that my parents did, but it’s been a big change and a lot of things have gone on.”
School-aged children at Saturday’s event will be given the opportunity to share what they learn from storytellers, along with what they already knew prior to the event, through an essay contest to be held Saturday.
“We’ll have it that day and have judges judge it that day, too,” Cook said. “We’d just really like everyone to come out and enjoy the festivities.”
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Johnna Ray may be reached at 214-3934.