IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – People in Iowa City had the chance to learn about the history behind Juneteenth Wednesday afternoon, something members with the nonprofit Iowa Juneteenth Observance say is key to understanding America’s history.
There were events Wednesday afternoon at Iowa City Public Library and the Iowa City Senior Center teaching teenagers and others about the history of Juneteenth and sharing traditions behind the holiday.
Organizers told TV9 education behind the holiday is key.
”Juneteenth for me… it just represents freedom,” said Simone Garza, owner and founder of Kultur Scope.
Garza celebrated Juneteenth by putting on an Art Show and Auction.
”This just represents the many personalities and the art and culture of being black,” Garza said. “In the black community we’re really big on culture so I just wanted to let people be free in their skin and just know that when people walk in the room, they can feel the positive vibes and the energy from that. “
She said it’s important to let young people know what the history of the holiday is.
”I believe we need to educate more of the youth because I believe that the future generation is really important. They are going to be our leaders one day,” Garza said.
It’s something other leaders echoed the importance of.
”Just a little fact about me, I didn’t even hear about Juneteenth until I got custodianship of it and that was my mid 30s. I never knew that Juneteenth existed, I never had heard it, I didn’t know what it was about, and I didn’t know what people were making a big deal about,” said Dwana Bradley.
Bradley is the chairperson for Iowa Juneteenth, a non-profit that travels the state educating people about the holiday for free.
”We all have something in our past we’re not proud of, we all have a past and I think there are lessons to be learned in our past,” Bradley said.
Bradley said educating people about that past is crucial in bettering the future.
”Rather you want to talk about Juneteenth, whether you want to talk about yourself as an individual, there’s something to look back at and say, “Yeah that was a part of who I am, but what can we do by remembering our history so that we don’t repeat it,” Bradley said.
The Art Show and Auction at the Iowa City Senior Center goes until 7p.m. on Wednesday.
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