To honor black ancestors
Weston’s first-ever Juneteenth Heritage Jubilee is set on Saturday, June 19.
The event is to honor Weston’s historically black ancestors through song, spoken word, poetry, folk art, storytelling and history revealed. Theme for the event is “From Slavery to Freedom.”
It will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on June 19 at the Ben Holladay Pavilion in Weston City Park. The park is located behind Main Street, between Thomas and Spring Streets.
In the event of rain, the celebration will be held at the Burley House at 347 Main Street.
Bring your own lawn chairs and blankets.
Attendees will be able to journey back through enslavement to emancipation and living a free life in Weston with host Angela Hagenback, a fifth generation descendant of Weston, and become acquainted with a few little-known persons of color from Weston’s past.
The event is co-hosted by John Rajpa with special guest presenters: Book of Gaia (Pamela Baskin-Watson, Nedra Dixon and Angela Hagenback), Phyllis Becker, Gary Jenkins, Dr. Robert McNichols, N.M. Shebazz, Rebecca Ehrich, Jessica Larsen, Lynn Johnson, Bill and Carla Sutton and Kent Stelljes, who is the mayor of Weston.
There will be memorabilia and merchandise available, of which five percent of sales goes to Black Ancestors Awareness Campaign of Weston.
Come for the fun and stay for the barbecue provided by the Weston Rotary Club, and visit Weston.
Attendees are encouraged to visit the African American Monument at Laurel Hill Cemetery, dedicated in 2019 commemorating about 400 enslaved and free souls buried there.
The first Weston Juneteenth Heritage Jubilee will celebrate those lives from slavery to freedom.