Juneteenth Jamboree

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by Carole Boston Weatherford
illustrated by Yvonne Buchanan
Transcript
00:00Juneteenth Jamboree.
00:12By Carol Boston Weatherford.
00:15Illustrated by Yvonne Buchanan.
00:18To my husband my children my parents.
00:22For believing.
00:24C B W.
00:25I dedicate this work to my late uncle Raymond Shervington who never leaving Harlem painted
00:31cowboys and Indians under vast crimson sides and other wondrous dreams.
00:37Y B.
00:38Authors note.
00:41Juneteenth a blend of the words June and 19th is an emancipation celebration that is said
00:46to have begun on the 19th of June, 1865 when Union Army soldiers arrived in Texas and informed
00:53slaves that they were free.
00:56It took this news two years six months and 19 days after President Abraham Lincoln signed
01:02the Emancipation Proclamation to reach the slaves of Texas.
01:07Learning of freedom the joyful ex-slaves set out to find family members from whom they
01:12had been separated and finally follow their dreams.
01:16Over the years, different legends have been created to explain the reason for the delay
01:21including the story that the messenger was sent from the nation's capital on mule back.
01:27Today, African Americans come together all around the country to celebrate Juneteenth
01:32with traditions from the early days including parades, picnics, music, speeches, crafts
01:38and African dance.
01:40It is a celebration of freedom and hope.
01:44In 1980, the 19th of June was made a legal holiday in Texas.
02:14It was a fine day for daydreaming.
02:44Breathing in aromas of apple cobbler and tater pie, Cassandra gazed out her bedroom window.
02:50Her brother Kewfie was in the backyard swinging.
02:54Her mind drifted to the city and the friends she left behind.
02:58She liked her new house and her new school was okay, but what would summer here in Texas
03:04hold?
03:05This was her parents' hometown but it didn't feel like home yet to Cassandra.
03:11Come lend me a hand her mother called.
03:15Cassandra raced into the kitchen then stopped in her tracks.
03:19Dishes lined the countertop.
03:22From the looks of the place, her parents had big plans.
03:26What's going on?
03:28It's a surprise replied her mother.
03:32Cassandra thought for a moment.
03:34It wasn't anyone birthday.
03:37What kind of surprise, she asked.
03:40A Texas tradition said her father as he bent down to kiss the top of her head.
03:46You'll see.
03:48Cassandra helped make red velvet cake while her father fried chicken.
03:53Her dad was whistling and every once in a while he danced over to where her mother was
03:57working and twirled her around as if they were dancing at a fancy party.
04:03Cassandra loved surprises.
04:06And she was usually pretty good at guessing them but this one had her stumped.
04:11She was so deep in thought that she jumped when the doorbell rang.
04:16See who it is Cassie her mother said.
04:19Cassandra could smell her Aunt Bette's rolls even before she opened the door.
04:24Texas didn't feel like home yet, but at least it meant that they were closer to family,
04:30especially her favorite aunt.
04:33How's my beautiful niece?
04:35Aunt Bette asked.
04:37Fetch me an apron, would my baby.
04:41Then get some clothes from your mama.
04:44We've got to get this ham ready.
04:47Cassandra decided to see if her aunt would give her any clues about what kind of surprise
04:52was brewing.
04:54Are we having company, she whispered.
04:57Aunt Bette winked at Cassandra's mother and just kept on humming and glazing the ham with
05:02honey.
05:03Come on child.
05:05You can help with this part.
05:08Cassandra carefully stuck cloves into the ham and placed pineapple rings on it.
05:13My, that looks pretty Aunt Bette sighed as she slid the ham in the oven.
05:19Kewfie and dad busily snapped string beans while mama began packing a picnic basket.
05:26Cassandra had never seen so much food.
05:29But she was more curious than hungry.
05:32Why the feast?
05:34Memorial Day had passed and the 4th of July was still two weeks away.
05:40Time to get dressed Cassie said mama.
05:43But I am dressed said Cassandra.
05:46Her mother hurried upstairs.
05:49Just you wait she said lifting a calico dress from a pine chest.
05:54This is the best part of the surprise.
05:57Cassandra loved to dress up.
05:59In fact, her mother sometimes scolded her for going into her closet and now she was
06:05letting her wear this beautiful dress.
06:08First her father dancing in the kitchen, and now this.
06:12Whatever the surprise was it was sure making her parents act funny.
06:17She looked in the mirror.
06:19The outfit was yellow and blue, the colors of the Texas sun and sky.
06:25My grandma made this costume for me when I was your age and surprised me with it on
06:29this same day.
06:31Costume.
06:33Thought Cassandra.
06:35It's not Halloween.
06:37June bugs are jumping and the leaves are all green.
06:41Dad honked the horn.
06:43Everyone piled into the car.
06:46Cassandra sat next to Kewfie on the back seat holding a cake and shooing her little brother's
06:51fingers away from the frosting.
06:54The car smelled just like the kitchen.
06:57All this surprise business was making her hungry.
07:01Within minutes, they arrived downtown.
07:05They parked at the church and left the food in the fellowship hall.
07:09Then they walked to the square, it seemed like the whole town was there.
07:14Some girls from Cassandra's school walked arm in arm in their long skirts and pinafores.
07:20Her parents pointed to a banner that flapped in the breeze.
07:24Juneteenth, giggled Cassandra.
07:28What kind of word is that?
07:30Why, that's the surprise honey.
07:33Said Aunt Bette.
07:35It means June 19th dad explained.
07:40That's when Texas slaves heard they'd been freed.
07:44President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
07:50That news didn't reach Texas until more than two years later.
07:54Nobody really knows for sure what took so long, but you'd better believe folks rejoiced
08:00when they finally found out.
08:03Imagine sighed Mama.
08:06Cassandra tried to picture what it was like for people to hear such news.
08:10I bet they sang and danced and had a big barbecue, she exclaimed.
08:16Fiddlers began to play.
08:19Dad clapped.
08:20Aunt Bette slapped her hip.
08:22I want to see the ducks.
08:25Kewfie begged.
08:27He and dad walked to the pond.
08:30At a picnic table, Cassandra learned to make a corn husk doll.
08:35I'll call her Lizzy, she declared.
08:38A girl in a pink pinafore leaned over to look at the doll.
08:42Liz is my name too, she said smiling.
08:45As Cassandra introduced herself.
08:48Lizzy's mother called her from another picnic table.
08:52Ive got to go, Lizzy said.
08:55But I'll see you later.
08:57Cassandra hoped so.
09:00A Texas summer might not seem so long with a new friend.
09:04Look, balloon! yelled Kewfie.
09:07Tugging dad across the square.
09:10The family weaved through the crowd toward the balloon booth.
09:14Can I have one?
09:17Kewfie blurted.
09:18Not so fast the balloon man said, giving them slips of paper.
09:23First, sign your name.
09:26But there's already writing on it said Cassandra.
09:30Forever free she read aloud.
09:33Use the other side said the man.
09:36He slid Cassandra's paper into a balloon then blew it up while she helped Kewfie write
09:41his name.
09:43Hold on to it now he urged winking.
09:46Under a shade tree, women showed off baskets and brightly colored patchwork quilts they'd
09:51made with their own hands.
09:54On stage, masked dancers whirled grass to African drum beats.
10:00Lizzy ran over and invited Cassandra to promenade around the square with the other girls in
10:04costume after dinner.
10:08Cassandra's parents were greeted by old friends they hadn't seen in years.
10:12A bearded man carving a cane spun tales of the first Juneteenth.
10:18Some folks say the messenger took two years to reach these parts because his mule was
10:23slow.
10:24Others say slave owners wanted to harvest one more cotton crop so they kept the news
10:29from their slaves.
10:31Me.
10:32I don't know whether to blame the mule the messenger or the master.
10:37One thing is sure, though, freedom was a long time coming but it was mighty sweet.
10:44Cassandra heard her father whisper, Amen.
10:47At noon, the church bells pealed.
10:50The high school band marched down the street.
10:54A man on stilts towered over the crowd.
10:57A choir sang spirituals that slaves had once sung in the fields.
11:02Aunt Bette shook a tambourine and sang along.
11:06As the parade ended, the Grand Marshal said, When the cymbals sound, let go of your balloons
11:12all at once.
11:14Clash.
11:15Clang.
11:16Hundreds of balloons carrying messages of freedom floated toward the clouds.
11:23Cassandra's eyes followed her balloon high up into the sky until she could no longer
11:27tell it from the others.
11:29She imagined slave families celebrating their newfound freedom jumping shouting laughing
11:34and crying their spirits taking wing like birds released from cages.
11:40The balloons soared higher and higher.
11:43In the midst of her daydreaming, Cassandra felt Aunt B squeeze her head and glimpsed
11:48her wiping a tear.
11:49Don't be sad Aunt Bette.
11:53You'll get another balloon one day.
11:55I am not sad honey just filled up.
11:59I'm so thankful that you're home and we're all together.
12:03Me too said Cassandra giving her aunt a great big hug.
12:07Me too.
12:09The end.