BY KATE ELLISON
Bradford Democrats
STARKE — It was very hot and breezy Saturday afternoon when the Juneteenth Jubilee took place in Starke. Balloons and bright colors decorated the entrance to the RJE Alumni Hall, and bright canopies brought some shade and transformed the basketball court where vendors were selling shaved ice, jewelry, a local 7-year-old author’s book, and more. There were games for the kids, a DJ, and voter registration for the adults.
Inside, a free meal was served, and the program began with Iana Patterson welcoming about 40 people to celebrate and take notice of where we are on the long Journey to Freedom for Black people in this country. She asked the question, “What does freedom look like to you?” She reminded us that Juneteenth commemorates the day the last slaves were officially informed of their freedom in Galveston, Texas. It had taken nearly two years for the news to reach Florida on May 20, 1865, and Galveston a month later, that slaves in the states that had seceded had been set free.
County Commissioner Carolyn Spooner read out the full text of the Emancipation Proclamation, and the proclamation of June 19 as a federal holiday. “It is important to remember today that we should never take our freedom for granted,” she said, “and Juneteenth is a celebration of Freedom for African Americans, and it serves as a reminder that we are equal to all other human beings. There are no superior human beings in this race, the human race.”
Other public servants in attendance included Starke City Clerk Jimmy Crosby, City Manager Russell Mullins, Lawtey Mayor Jimmie Scott and his wife Olivia, and Starke Mayor Janice Mortimer.
AuBroncee Martin, a judicial candidate, told stories from his experience as a public defender, and we heard from an advocate for living a healthy lifestyle. There was even a magician to entertain the crowd.
Patterson summed it up saying that to honor our ancestors and the sacrifices they have made, we need to be active citizens of democracy and exercise our right to vote.
