Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement hosts Juneteenth Celebration

Athens was bustling with live music, activities, food and vendors for Athens’s Juneteenth Celebration hosted by the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement on Saturday, June 15

Over 10 vendors arrived promptly at approximately 10:30 a.m. to erect tents and set up displays along College Avenue as the main stage, situated at the intersection of East Hancock Avenue and College Avenue, hummed music softly.

Products available to purchase from the stands ranged from food to a make-your-own-hat bar to candles. All of the local businesses and organizations represented are owned and operated by Black, Indigenous and other people of color, according to the AADM website.

Co-founder of the AADM Knowa Johnson produced this event alongside his wife, Mokah Johnson. The pair received a $15,000 grant from Athens-Clarke County and three weeks to put the Juneteenth Celebration together. Despite the quick turnaround, the Johnsons knew that this event would be important to the Athens community.

“You have to know your people in your community and what’s important to them,” Knowa Johnson said. “This one here is something that’s important to African Americans in the community. So we need to make sure that we stand in solidarity with every community.”

The festivities began at 11:40 a.m. as Hattie Whitehead took to the stage to reflect on her involvement with civil rights activism in Athens.

As a former resident of Linnentown, a community that was destroyed through an urban renewal project led by the Athens-Clarke County government and the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents, Whitehead has led the Athens Justice and Memory Project to secure a brighter future for Athens Black community.

However, her role in the community began long before her work with the Athens Justice and Memory Project. She told the crowd that at 14 years old she participated in demonstrations in Athens to advocate for desegregation and equality.

“I paid my dues in the 60s to desegregate Athens,” Whitehead said. “I believed this country and this city could be a better place to live. I wasn’t mad, even though we were treated horribly, but I was involved.”

Hattie explained that her involvement, resilience and determination have led Athens to create the Athens-Clarke County Center for Racial Justice and Black Futures at the Classic Center as well as grants to be put towards elderly home repair and down payment assistance.

Following Whitehead’s speech, the “League of Step” was up next. Kenny Davis, a recent graduate of Clarke Central High School, and Jeremy Mango, a rising senior at Cedar Shoals High School, got on stage at 11:55 a.m. to deliver a high-energy step dance performance.

The pair had three days to assemble their number for the celebration, but since they have been performing together for four years, they said the process was easy. The stomping and clapping were met with cheers from the crowd as they moved through their routine.

Davis and Mango’s red vests read “Homicide,” which they explained referred to beating the stereotypes placed on Black men. Mango said that one instance where stereotypes can be seen are when members of the Black community are wrongfully accused of crimes.

“Beating those stereotypes that are placed on the Black community,” Mango said. “That’s why we’re here today, Juneteenth.”

Linda Davis then took to the stage. Davis is an Athens native who is serving her 12th year on the Clarke County Board of Education representing District Three and is an adjunct instructor at Athens Technical College.

Davis took the opportunity to discuss the history of slavery in America, highlighting the arrival of African Americans in Virginia over 400 years ago. Davis tied the historical lesson back to Athens as she painted a picture of how 5,000 freed slaves in Athens-Clarke County would “become our ancestors,” she said.

She followed Black history through the tribulations of slavery, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Civil Rights Movement and finally to the present day: celebrating Juneteenth.

“Two years ago, we had a national holiday declared for us and that is Juneteenth,” Davis said. “We are finally a nation that says ‘Yes, slavery existed, slavery ended and we should celebrate the end of slavery in America.’”

Following Davis’s address, “Girl Power,” a dance group from the Athens Boys and Girls Club strutted onto the stage. Seven young girls clad in white t-shirts and sunglasses delivered an uplifting dance routine to a cheering audience. A group of three then took to the stage to dance to a hip-hop remix of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” by Randy Newman.

“The Prodigy Elite Dolls” brought an energetic performance to the asphalt in front of the stage at 12:40 p.m. The dancers delivered a routine full of jumps, splits, flips and spunkiness. They easily drew attention to their routine by not only their acrobatics, but also by their black jumpsuits adorned with sparkly silver trim and neon green fringe.

Emmanuel Thompson captivated the audience with his rendition of “What a Beautiful World” by Louis Armstrong. Attendees gravitated towards the stage with their phones raised to video the performance as he transitioned to “Let Me Love You” by Mario.

As the afternoon stretched on, the temperatures began to climb to the low nineties. Attendees retreated to the shade and fanned themselves with pamphlets.

Celebrity show drummer Cricket McCaskill, known by his stage name “1 Bad Azz Drummer,” began his performance at 1:30 p.m. McCaskill was dressed in an orange button-down shirt, a red wide-brimmed hat and multicolored Converse as he drummed away.

McCaskill’s drum solo paired with songs such as “Wobble” by V.I.C. created an atmosphere that incited many audience members to dance along in front of the stage. Towards the end of his performance, the cymbals on his drum set erupted into flames, drawing the attention of everyone in proximity.

A little after 2 p.m., “The Original Splitz Band” began their set with “This is How We Do It” by Montell Johnson. The tambourine, electric guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and four vocalists created a funky sound. The band’s unique style along with their carefree demeanor created a lively atmosphere as the Juneteenth Celebration wrapped up at 3 p.m.