The Town of Maxton held its Juneteenth Celebration Friday inside the Candlelight Building.
Stephanie Walcott | For the Exchange
MAXTON — The town of Maxton decided to change up its Juneteenth celebration and hold it indoors to escape the summer heat. Rather than a parade, the Maxton Recreation Commission opted for live music, a raffle and a catered meal.
Jamie Smith, a volunteer with MRC, said, “Last year’s parade didn’t have near as many entrants as the year before, and people said it was just too hot to be out that long. We decided to switch it up and do it inside.”
Town Commissioner Victor Womack said that as long as Juneteenth is being celebrated, then this is what is important.
“We have to celebrate our freedom, and we have to recognize our past and keep black history from being swept away,” Womack said. “A lot of kids nowadays don’t know anything about Black history.”
The celebration was held at the Candlelight Building on 104 Railroad St from 6-8 p.m. on Friday.
The inside of the building was decked out in red, green, and yellow balloons and tapestries. Images of important black Americans festooned some of the tapestries, while others advised people to celebrate their freedom. They were handing out bookmarks, pins, bracelets, key chains and notebooks.
Tucked into a corner of the room was a three-piece band called Brothers of the Covenant who played soulful gospel tunes like “Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus” and “That’s Love.”
In between songs, tickets were pulled for raffle gift bags. Each bag was different and contained an assortment of items, including mini tabletop fans, baseball caps, plastic cups, tote bags, the Maxton Juneteenth booklet, and more.
The evening ended with a catered meal cooked by Frederick Blackmon. Participants had a choice of BBQ, fried chicken, or BBQ chicken wings served with salad and baked beans.
According to various websites, Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, or Jubilee Day, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19th, marking the anniversary of when enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom in 1865. This day is significant because it signifies the effective end of slavery, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.