Royal Oak will celebrate its fourth annual Juneteenth Celebration on Wednesday with activities, speakers, educators and a Freedom Strive walk as part of the event marking the end of slavery in the U.S. in 1865.
The event is from 3-8 p.m. June 19 at Centennial Commons.
New this year is a mobile Black History 101 Museum at Farmers Market started by Dr. Khalid el-Hakim, showing Black History from the time of slavery to hip hop culture. The museum’s collection consists of more than 10,000 artifacts.
“There will be historical displays and artifacts, even chains that were used during slavery,” said Carvell Wilkins, chair of the city’s Juneteenth Committee.
His sister, LaKeesha Morrison of Royal Oak, is vice-chair of the committee. Wilkins and Morrison are descendants of Black settlers who came to what is now Royal Oak before the Civil War to buy land and farm.
“My ancestors escaped slavery, went to Canada and then Royal Oak, where they worked for the Starr family and were able to purchase land that we still hold today,” Wilkins said, adding he and his sister plan to publish a book on the family’s history.
One of the biggest highlights of the event is the Freedom Strive walk. Participants arrive at 3 p.m. to make posters to carry in the walk. The Juneteenth Committee provides the supplies to make posters.
At 4 p.m. the marchers start the walk of 1865 steps, about a mile, at Centennial Commons along Troy Street, then head to Sixth Street, and Main Street before returning to the downtown park.
Just before the march begins, Cornelius Godfrey, a diversity, equity and inclusion educator, is scheduled to give a speech.
“There are Black and white people, it’s very diverse,” Wilkins said. “There is no hostility. We’re all here to have a good time. There are not a lot of events to engage the community and help us to understand and love one another.”
He said the Juneteenth event in Royal Oak keeps getting better and better.
“Last year we had about 1,200 people throughout the day,” Wilkins said.
A couple hundred people took part in the freedom march last year. The walk honors the strength and bravery of Black people who fought for their freedom and rights and is meant to acknowledge the hard times they endured as slaves and celebrates their freedom.
Juneteenth – or Freedom Day – celebrations started as early as 1866. The date marks the day a general order from a Union general in Galveston, Texas at the close of the U.S. Civil War, ended slavery in the state under the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.
Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, and the number of cities and towns recognizing the holiday with celebrations has increased over the last several years.
There will be a book giveaway, vendors, shopping, food trucks, music and air conditioning at Farmers Market where the Black History 101 Mobile Museum will be, said Judy Davids, another member of the Juneteenth Committee.
At Centennial Commons there will be free horseback rides provided by the Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Association. The Buffalo Soldiers were groups of African Americans soldiers in the U.S. Army, who served from the 1800s through the Korean War.
Buffalo Soldiers often rode horses. Riding horses on Juneteenth is meant to help people remember what they did and how they helped in the American West.
Detroit Pistons star player Jaden Ivey is set to return to Royal Oak’s Juneteenth celebration again this year.
Also at Centennial Commons, Ray’s Ice Cream will have a giveaway, the spray jets will be turned on at the park, and there will be a rock climbing wall and many outdoor games provided by Oakland County Mobile Recreations.
Face painting, a scavenger hunt, dancers, and music will be included in the activities for the day.
“One of the most popular events at Juneteenth Celebration is the Tug-Of-War competition, with real fire hose, between kids and Royal Oak firefighters,” Davids said. “The kids have been victorious for two years in a row. I’m pretty sure the firefighters are training extra hard for the rematch.”
