Juneteenth event commemorates end of slavery

Even at 8 years old, Joy Tucker knows that Juneteenth means more than good food and fun and a day to visit and play with friends and family.

“It kind of means a day when people who were slaves were free,” he said.

Since its origin in 1865 in Galveston, Texas, June 19 has meant just — a commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States, two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became official.

Freedom’s joyous spirit of celebration took over Potter Park all day Saturday, as community members of all ages and races joined together to mark Juneteenth in Clovis.

“This event means freedom, continual freedom, that the bell of freedom will always ring,” said Waymon Dowdy, one of the event organizers. “We need to be reminded of what this day means. As a nation, we’re not totally free, but we’re making progress.”

After seven years cooking at Clovis’ Juneteenth celebrations, William Hall decided to supervise other cooks this year.

“We like to see a lot of kids out here,” Hall said. “The older people should tell kids about what Juneteenth means. My ancestors told me and I tell my kids.”

On Saturday, the sounds of children giggling and splashing in the Potter Park swimming pool and playing in the playground filled the air. Teenagers walked around and gathered in groups to eat, dance and talk.

Friends of all ages swayed to the music — which ranged from gospel to rap — or sat on lawn chairs and park benches as they ate an array of free food.

“We cook hundreds of pounds of chicken, ribs and catfish and people bring side dishes,” said Dowdy, whose tray of catfish always emptied out before he could walk all the way to the food line.

Jackie Todd, who was busy still serving food at 3 p.m., summed up her estimate of how many people she had fed so far.

“Girlfriend, plenty,” Todd said with a hearty laugh, as she looked for more plates and then served up another full dish for a hungry boy.

Robert Farley, who lived in Clovis 22 years before moving to Las Cruces in 1988, drives up every year with his cooking pit hooked to his truck to cook “you name it — ribs, chicken. We got started cooking about 5:30 (Saturday) morning. I enjoy it. Down in Las Cruces and El Paso, they don’t get together like this.”

Along with the food, games and fun, gospel singer, songwriter and preacher David Dawson sees a greater purpose in the Juneteenth celebration.

“For me, it’s an opportunity to spread the love of Jesus and hope people respond,” Dawson said, shortly before he took the stage to sing several songs. “I understand it’s an Independence Day for African Americans. For me, it’s a soul-winning opportunity, too. The community has been good to me and you always want to minister back to your community.”

LaTanya Lowery, a newcomer to Clovis who serves as director of multi-cultural affairs at Clovis Community College after traveling the world with her military family, said the city’s Juneteenth celebration carries a two-fold meaning for her.

“It’s a celebration of our history and an opportunity to get out in the community and network with people,” Lowery said. “Everywhere my family lived, they celebrated Juneteenth with parades and food. It’s a remembrance of history.”