COVINGTON, Ga. – Covington residents filled the local fairgrounds on Saturday for a vibrant celebration of Juneteenth. They joined together for music, food and a powerful sense of community to commemorate the end of slavery in America.
Against a backdrop of vendor booths and the scent of some good old southern barbecue, community members came together to reflect on the past and celebrate this holiday of Black heritage.
The festivities began with a morning parade around the square, followed by a day of fun at Legion Field for the Juneteenth Festival. This included vendors, a concert and fireworks to wrap up the celebration.
Organized by the Newton County Historical Committee on Black Heritage Preservation, the festival welcomed over a dozen vendors to the fairgrounds for people to stroll around collecting goodies. There were other forms of entertainment there as well, including a bouncy house, a mobile video game theatre and the “Fly High Express” for some kid-friendly fun.
“[The Festival] is going great,” said Veronica Luttery, who helps with the event every year. “And it’s going to get busy later, not going to lie, when the headliner gets here.”
Although the festival was cut a bit short due to rain, it was still an amazing turnout with lots of positivity. The concert was cut short as more rain moved in, but it lasted long enough to hear some rocking tunes from the event headliner Xtreme Party Band. To conclude the evening, fireworks lit up the sky – a first for the annual Juneteenth Festival.
“I have been doing this for 15 years by myself,” said Terri James, president of the Newton County Historical Committee on Black Heritage Preservation. “But I have help now, and I thank God.”
Among the various vendors were the National Council of Negro Women Rockdale-Newton Section (NCNW) and Black Voters Matter (BVM).
The NCNW’s mission is to advocate for women of African descent, their families and communities. This organization attended the festival to encourage people to vote for Public Service Commissioner on Tuesday, June 17. They also wanted to give three locals a chance to win a drawing for $125 to go towards their electric bill.
“It will pay their bill, but if not, it will help,” said Evetta Washington, president of NCNW for the Rockdale-Newton Section. “What we do is we pay the money directly to the utility company. We don’t hand out cash. It goes directly to the company.”
Both NCNW and BVM held panels during the event as well. Following the NCNW’s exhibition, BVM also held a panel and displayed a video on environmental justice.
NCNW brought in a panel for a mental and maternal health exhibition. The panel of women ranged from a psychiatrist to a personal doula, all professionals in the medical and mental health fields. The exhibition was a chance for community members to ask questions about mental and maternal health, specifically as it pertains to Black women. Listeners were able to gain some knowledge on the issues surrounding people’s mental health and women’s healthcare.
“Education is a part of empowerment,” said Gabrielle Leverette, a full-spectrum doula.
Daniel Blackman also made an appearance at the exhibit, encouraging the audience to vote for the Planning Service Commissioner and echoing the panelists’ words regarding health.
Blackman himself was a candidate in the election until he was disqualified for failing to meet residency requirements. Blackman appealed the disqualification, but was denied.
“There is no better time for us to prioritize our communities,” said Blackman. “And as a man, raising three sons, there’s a quote by Fredrick Douglass, he says, ‘It’s better to build strong boys than repair broken men.’ So, for me, what we build our foundation today determines on what and how we put into our community.”
Photo gallery below by Michael Bandoo
