BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Juneteenth Lehigh Valley had a perfect day to offer up a combination of education and entertainment regarding Black history in America at the SteelStacks this Saturday.
Celebrating its fourth year, Juneteenth Lehigh Valley brought together a diverse lineup of musical talent ranging from jazz to reggae to hip-hop and beyond, on top of a marketplace filled with Black-owned businesses including savory soul food, handmade crafts and clothing, and so much more.
But at the heart of the event was the celebration of Black culture, and an opportunity to teach a new generation about the complex history of Black people in America.
Juneteenth marks the date of June 19, 1865, when slavery officially came to an end in the United States. Celebrations began as early as the very next year, predominantly in churches, and over the coming decades, the practice spread.
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making the federal holiday — the first to be put on the books since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983 — officially recognized.
“We're really excited – it’s gone from a one-day celebration to a full week, and our music/children's festival is one of our signature events. We expect a big crowd today, loads of food trucks, vendors, and a lot of music, as well as a children's festival and a history tent so we’re able to teach about Juneteenth as well."Juneteenth Lehigh Valley President Dr. Karen Britt
“We're really excited – it’s gone from a one-day celebration to a full week, and our music/children's festival is one of our signature events. We expect a big crowd today, loads of food trucks, vendors, and a lot of music, as well as a children's festival and a history tent so we’re able to teach about Juneteenth as well,” Juneteenth Lehigh Valley President Dr. Karen Britt said.
Music, of course, played a pivotal part of the day’s events, with performances by DJ Shy, Gerald Veasley, Smooth Edge Band, The Quake Band, Pentley Holmes, AfriCarib Steel Band, and Geraldine Pegues.
Of course, children’s activities abounded: kids could get a quick and engaging lesson over at the History Tent and participate in a scavenger hunt. Within the ESSA Community Bank Room, kids had a chance to participate in a Juneteenth TikTok song contest. The PBS/WLVT Children’s Stage also provided young talent the chance to show off their talent with a performance by the BIA Dance Team.
Among all the entertainment, there were still plenty of options to soak up lessons in culture and history, with Juneteenth highlighting “authentic American history,” as Britt said.
“My parents didn't grow up celebrating Juneteenth, they didn't teach it, because they probably really didn't know much about it. So this is a way that we elevate, and we celebrate, the day of freedom. And so Juneteenth is a day of celebration and liberation, for all,” Britt said,
“You know, we're celebrating the Fourth of July in two weeks, and we're going to celebrate Juneteenth. It's all American in regard to liberation and liberty for all.”
Britt said it has been an incredible experience teaching about Juneteenth and Black history – she is professor of business economics at Northampton Community College and an adjunct at Muhlenberg – for students who may never have heard of the devastation of Black Wall Street in Tulsa, since it is rarely taught.
“And that's a part of this uplift. We stand on three pillars: we elevate, we celebrate, and we educate. And we are still in the education portion. We still are, so that’s why we're here,” Britt said.
Sylvia Kenvi, who works at Asante Art Gallery in Palmer Park Mall with artist Grace Mugala, was thrilled to showcase her Kenyan heritage via art, clothing, jewelry, and other wares at the Juneteenth Festival.
“We have paintings — you can see we have abstract on the wall, and we have realism, which the lead artist Grace Mugala does. We have all handmade jewelry, and the jewelry is made by me. Some is needed and most of the rest is made out of cow horn and cow hoof,” Kenvi said.
Kenvi and Mugala have aimed to host more programming at their gallery this month, featuring more original, unique pieces which cannot be found anywhere else in the Lehigh Valley.
But having the opportunity to bring their work out to the public at the SteelStacks for the first time on Saturday was a welcome way to engage with the community, Kenvi said, as “We are definitely very blessed to be here and showcase our artwork for Juneteenth.”
Author Sheila C.J. Solomon was on hand at the event promoting her book, “The Survival Kit for Young Black Men,” a piece she wrote for her son Robert Hunter when he was a teenager.
“He inspired me to give him God's work on every subject that he may need: on finances, on marriage, on careers, on dealing with stress, and racism, and discrimination, and how to live your life every day,” Solomon said.
Hunter said works such as his mother’s are vital to the Black community, as “the world is changing,” and he recognizes the “wonderful foundation provided by my mother.”
“It's really just a book just to help us out and give them a guide to know just to be able to thrive in this world. We're super excited to be a part of this Juneteenth event. It's a wonderful event with a bunch of vendors, and I know you can hear the music, and this is awesome,” Robert Hunter said.
Solomon said she hopes the wealth of history, culture, and education present at the Juneteenth event could help the Black community learn and grow.
“Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom. We're all out here celebrating with African American vendors – I think we have about 40 here – and I'm so glad to be a part of it,” Solomon said.
Juneteenth Lehigh Valley still has a few celebrations left before the namesake event, including a parade in Easton on Sunday, a reading program by Cops ‘n’ Kids, and a Juneteenth and Black History celebration with a tribute to the National Negro Baseball League at Coca-Cola Park on Wednesday.
