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CONTINUED FROM COVERThis year, Viola will sit as grand master of the Juneteenth celebration in Angleton as the committee celebrates its 20th year since reviving the local event.Juneteenth didn't mean much to me as a child, Viola said. 1 was more interested in the rides and catching the ring on the ride.But it should mean something to the younger people.They should know about the history of their freedom.June 19, 1865, was the day Union Gen. Gordon Granger brought news of the emancipation of slaves to Texas.The news, signaling the end of slavery, started a tradition of annual celebrations.We celebrate so that people don't forget, said Terry Gordon, who helped revive the local celebration. There are some youngsters who don't know the significance of Juneteenth.Even today, we don't appreciate the opportunity to vote like we should and that our forefathers struggled so hard to have.In 1986, while working on the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee,Gordon began working with the Willing Workers to put on a celebration for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.The event was so successful that the Angleton Willing Workers group was started, and the organiza-t i o n s teamed to 1lt;w put on a ’juneteenth SO blessed.celebration,Gordonsaid.We saw that the celebration had fallen by the wayside,Gordon said.The significance and importance of freedom is something that's precious and not to be taken forgranted, and we need to passalong that message.Some celebrations did take place between 1941, when Viola's father helped put on the last event in Brazoria, and 1986 when Gordon tried to rekindle the spirit of Juneteenth.Members of the Mims Community Center in Sweeny began hosting an annual event in 1983.On Monday, the group will celebrate its 23rd Juneteenth celebration.Also, members of the Brazoria CountyOrganization of Unity hosted a few Juneteenth celebrations during the years,Gordon said.The need for a celebration has always been there, Gordon said. Somebody just has to pick up the mantle so it can happen.To ensure the celebration continues in the community, the Juneteenth Celebration Committee is composed of nine area organizations that take turnsrunning the show each year, Gordon said.We are so, so blessed, Gordon said. We really need to celebrate it.Whether people participate in Juneteenth affairs for the dancing, singing or games, they should remember the freedoms that were won and received 141 years ago, Viola said.Everyone should remem-her that the very first one they had was just a celebration that they knew they were free, Viola said. Today, people have the privilege and the advantage to help others carry on the celebration.Lucretia Fernandez is a reporterfor The Facts. Contact her at (979)849 8581.We really need to celebratert.”— Terry Gordon
Newspaper Details
Brazosport Facts
Clute, Texas, US
Mon, Jun 19, 2006
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Houston P.
TX, USA 07 Sep 2019
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Clute Facts
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