Update 11 a.m. Friday, June 16
Gallery Night has been canceled due to severe weather. Check social media for updates on future events.
Original story:
Despite the current political climate surrounding issues of race, diversity and inclusion, the Pensacola community has gone “all in” for its second annual Journey to Juneteenthcelebration of Black history and culture.
“The first year, we did a gala. We did some tours. We had a Gallery Nightdedicated to the event, just a few things. But this year, so many people have responded,” said Teniadé Broughton, a member of the Pensacola City Council, local historian, and one of the primary organizers of Journey to Juneteenth.
Support Local Stories. Donate Here.
“It's exactly what we wanted," said Broughton. "Other people saw how successful that it was last year. So they, too, decided to host events during that Journey to Juneteenth period.”
Juneteenth commemorates the day when the last enslaved people in the country, in Texas, were informed of their freedom.
Specifically, Pensacola's month-long period began on May 20, which marked Florida’s Emancipation Day, and continues to June 19 or Juneteenth, the new federal holiday being observed on Monday.
Broughton gives some credit for the scope of events to the City of Pensacola’s contribution of $20,000 and its hiring of a new cultural affairs director. But, she admits she really had no idea that this year’s Journey to Juneteenth would get such a wonderful response, with widespread multiracial interest in sponsorships and attendance.
“I think this is especially significant now because of the political tone of today,” she declared.
RELATED: High schoolers threaten to sue DeSantis over ban of African American studies course
Of note is Florida’s ban on teaching “critical race theory” in public schools and its new law banning state colleges and universities from using taxpayer dollars to fund diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.
“The current political tone makes a way for us to be able to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to unify,'" said Broughton. "'We’re going to recognize this component of American culture.’ And that’s what we did.”
One case in point, is the Southern Belle Tea and Talk event jointly presented last weekend by local chapters of Daughters of the American Revolution and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.
The event featured a screening of the film, "Belle," and a presentation on the real life connection to the community.
“With Dido Belle's mother being from Pensacola, we were able to learn about Dido and her mother, Maria Belle, through a scholar who's writing a book on the topic, Ms. Margo Stringfield,” Broughton added.
RELATED: Real Story Of 'Belle' Has Pensacola Connections
According to Stringfield, historic land records show Maria Belle owned property in Pensacola in the 1770s.
“Interestingly, not long after the conveyance of property is made, there is a Maria Belle in Pensacola paying a manumission fee of $200 for her freedom,” Stringfield stated.
The local ‘journey’ to freedom was also highlighted with the recent tour of Fort Pickens, which is now a recognized site on the National Underground Railroad: Network to Freedom.
“This event was sponsored by the mayor," Broughton explained. "We ferried over, and we had a tour. We enjoyed a tour, where we learned about the freedom seekers and the struggles that they endured."
Among the stories shared by National Park Service Ranger Casimer Rosiecki during their tour guide was documentation of the fort as a Network to Freedom destination for freedom seekers before and during the Civil War, including the 1864 Marianna Expedition and march across Santa Rosa Island.
“This entire Ft. Pickens area, the landscape, were all included in that recent application,” said Rosiecki. “Because those 600 freedom seekers traveled with the U.S. soldiers across this island to get to Pensacola Bay, where Forts Pickens and Barrancas were located.”
The lengthy calendar of events kicked off in May with the Gulf Coast Culture Fest and has included Artel Gallery’s “My Ancestor’s Wildest Dreams” art show, and a Marvel Comic Artist Talk featuring Sanford Green.
There’s more to come this weekend, including the 2023 Juneteenth edition of Gallery Nightthis Friday from 5-9 p.m.
Gallery Night Executive Director Jacqueline Tarver said they’re looking to recapture some of last year’s magic that included a performance by The Mad Violinist.
“This year we are building off of that to kind of take it up another notch,” she proclaimed.
“We are welcoming the mad violinist back to our main stage, in addition to Gangstagrass, who is going to be doing a preview event before their ticketed show at Vinyl(Music Hall),” Tarver began. “And we are having a block takeover featuring a vendor list entirely composed of black women entrepreneurs and makers. It's When Queens Link Up.”
The featured Gallery Night visual artist is Kenneth Jordan, a local African American artist who works primarily with crayons.
Saturday will be highlighted by the Third Annual Juneteenth Gala and the Second Annual Family Reunion for the Culture, sponsored by the Watson Family Foundation.
“There’s going to be vendors, African vendors,” began Aaron Watson in a Facebook video the couple recorded this week at Museum Plaza where the event will be held from noon until 6:30 p.m. “There will be performers up here on this stage. There’s going to be a whole-hog barbecue. (There will be a) spades and dominoes tournament. There will be a sweet potato pie contest.”
Although the African-American culture will be on full display, the Watsons reiterated that everyone is welcome.
According to Broughton, this won’t just apply to locals. She said a check of hotel bookings for the weekend hint to the potential of this relatively new observance.
“I see that we're attracting people regionally, and pretty soon, I hope that maybe we can attract people from all over the country to where Pensacola is known for its Juneteenth celebration,” Broughton said.
