NAACP

Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. Juneteenth celebrates the freedom of over 250,000 slaves in Texas at the close of the Civil War. The holiday is now celebrated nationwide. The celebration takes its name from June 19, 1865, the day federal troops arrived in Galveston to enforce the  Emancipation Proclamation. Although the Proclamation had taken effect on January 1, 1863, it freed few, if any, slaves at that time.

News of the war’s end did not reach Texas until well after the Confederate surrender at Appomattox . Many speculate that the news was deliberately withheld so that slave owners could bring in one last crop. Others believe that the news was delayed because the messenger traveled by mule while some believe the original messenger was murdered en route.

When the news was finally delivered, it was celebrated in great fashion. Over the years, Juneteenth festivals have evolved into day long events which include picnics, parades, music, dancing, and sports.  Traditionally everyone is invited to attend.

In Alamogordo the tradition goes back to the early 1990s when Isaiah L. Scott organized the first Juneteenth celebration. It started with a parade from 1st street along Washington Avenue ending in Washington Park. Public Safety Officer Mike Kizer was instrumental in changing the parade route to the length of 10th Street to accommodate the large number of entries.  Many businesses donated food for the celebration and items to be raffled off with ticket sales going to college scholarships for students throughout the county.  Jimmy Yee donated food for many years and Wayne Martin always had his portable snack bar at the park giving away food for the celebrants and  one year, he donated a new car as a raffle prize.

Hundreds of people worked hard to make Juneteenth a success.  Isaiah L. Scott continued to organize the event until his passing.  Others who donated their time and energy were former Mayor Don Carroll who always made an official proclamation for the event, Dorothy Watts, Bill Brooks, Mike Kizer, Don Cooper, Dr. Willie May Harris, and many others who helped make everything come together.  Bob Flotte has been there every year with remote radio coverage for KUPR Radio.

This years celebration of Juneteenth will be held at the Alamogordo Public library, 920 Oregon Avenue, outside, under the trees on Saturday, June 21 2008 from 11:00 to 2:00 p.m.  The theme of this season’s event is the “Buffalo Soldier” and a  Chautauqua  talker from Ft. Bliss will portray Kathey Williams, a female, who passed as a male Buffalo Soldier. Karuna Warren’s “New World Drummers” from Las Cruces and Alamogordo’s own “Mejia Dancers” will return for your entertainment.

Juneteenth is sponsored by the NAACP of Otero County. Both the NAACP membership and the Juneteenth Celebration is open to everyone. See you there!

Ken Nicholson