Historic Selden Park on Saturday afternoon was abuzz with over a thousand enthusiastic residents of Brunswick and surrounding Glynn County, all coming together to commemorate the end of slavery in 1865 at the city’s 5th annual Juneteenth celebration.
The event venue was strategic. The park was the site of The Selden Normal and Industrial Institute, considered one of the first black schools in Brunswick during the early 20th century. The school is named for Dr. Charles Selden, a missionary and philanthropist.
Attendees were offered free tours of the headmaster’s house during the event that also featured line dancing, face painting, tours of the county’s fire trucks, a dancing competition and music from DJ Ziggy and live music from the Jacksonville band Tranquility 4 Soul.
The Glynn County Tigers organized the afternoon celebration that was also attended by members of Brunswick City Council, local Democrats, Brunswick Mayor Cosby Johnson and District Attorney Keith Higgins.
Johnson spoke of the poignancy of Black history embedded in the park, and how important it was for Brunswick residents to prioritize civic engagement to honor their ancestors.
“Right now what we are celebrating is the fact that you can be free but if you don’t have the information, or if you don’t know that you are free if you haven’t accepted that you are free, you can be free, but still in bondage,” the mayor said Saturday. “So in this moment, the time that we spend together in this moment, the time that you get to talk to your families and friends. I hope that you will share something with them that will help them become a little more free today because we are still reaching for that high calling.”
Juneteenth recognizes the effective ending of slavery after the Civil War. It refers to June 19, 1865, when 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. They freed over 250,000 enslaved people on that day.
President Joe Biden signed a bill passed by Congress on June 17, 2021, making Juneteenth the eleventh American federal holiday.
Ashley Jackson, a member of the Glynn County Juneteenth committee. moved to Glynn County in 2013. She also serves as the executive director for the Family Connection of Glynn County. Jackson said The Tigers started with youth travel basketball AAU and also did football for a period but extended into community support.
“Their [Glynn County Tigers] main purpose is to help the youth and also build up the community, they had several times this year where they fed the homeless, they went out they cooked a hot meal, fish grill, all of that for people who were in need of a hot meal just to come and eat for free and to socialize with you know other people just to talk and give back,” said Jackson. “And I’ve also done some things for the kids like even Halloween, they gave out free candy has a bounce house out there.”
Joseph Lanhon, who retired Friday as assistant principal of Brunswick High, said Juneteenth was an important time for he and his Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity brothers to educate the community about the importance of voting and voter registration.
“We do voter registration, and every chance we get try to educate people about voting. Why it’s important to vote. We don’t care who you vote for. Always exercise your civil right to vote,” said Lanhon.
Lanhon added that, unlike most, he has understood the significance of Juneteenth since he was a teenager.
“I’ve known what Juneteenth is since I was 17 years old. So it’s different than most people because going to HBCU especially said you know things also being out being about being involved. spending time outside of one community. I’ve lived in several different places. Give you a different perspective on things, and there are several emancipation days Juneteenth is just the one that’s most publicized, and people don’t realize it was a state holiday in Texas for years,” said Lanhon.
Rose Flowers a lifelong resident of Brunswick’s Southside, attended the city’s Juneteenth celebration last year and will return next year. She said she appreciated the kaleidoscope of nationalities at the event.
“It’s wonderful to see more people out here not only just colored people but you see a mixture, to see all nationalities out here, it’s a joy,” said Flowers.
