FRONT ROYAL – By all measures, the inaugural Juneteenth Community Celebration on Wednesday in downtown Front Royal was a success.
Despite the stifling heat, hundreds came out in recognition of June 19, 1865, the day that the last remaining enslaved people in the United States were freed when the U.S. Army arrived in Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been in effect for more than two years.
Hosted by the Warren-Page chapter of the NAACP, the event paid tribute not only to the nation’s Black history, but to the many local residents who fought for equality. Through a series of speakers, local trailblazers were honored for their dedication to improving their community. Between speakers, area bands performed. In the afternoon, Cecil Taylor presented a rousing rendition of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech to an audience at rapt attention.
“Juneteenth is more than just a footnote. It is a testament to our ancestors’ struggles and sacrifices. It is a reminder of the resilience and fortitude that coursed through their veins, even in the face of unimaginable adversity,” said Front Royal native Ashley Carter Taylor, 35. “The theme resonating through the corridors of history is clear – we are our ancestors’ wildest dreams.”
Taylor said that as a history teacher she is pleased that Virginia Standards of Learning have been improved to “illuminate the voices of the marginalized. There is a lot of narrative that I didn’t learn about until much later. I also see more of a commitment on the part of teachers to make sure that everyone who belongs in the story has a place in the story.”
Taylor said, “I teach a history that acknowledges the millions of enslaved individuals who toiled in the fields, built the infrastructure and laid the foundation for this nation with their blood, sweat and tears. And today we honor their legacy. We celebrate the unsung heroes like Mr. Charlie Blackman, whose hands crafted the very structure beneath which we stand. We pay tribute to trailblazers like Ressie Jeffires and Hilda J. Barbour whose unwavering commitment to education paved the way for future generations. Let us not forget the brave souls who dared to defy the barriers of segregation like the 23 Black children who ascended the hill to Warren County High, forging a path toward integration in the face of adversity. Their courage and resilience serve as a beacon of hope for us all.”
Ann Rhodes Baltimore was one of those children. She was the first Black graduate of Warren County High School and, due to Massive Resistance, the only graduate in the Class of 1959.
Baltimore remembered the terror and trauma of that part of her life, recalling that local police were ordered to protect the children and their families from community members who were angry about their efforts to desegregate.
“They did not harm us physically, but mentally they did because we were young children,” Baltimore said. “We could not understand why so much hatred was shown to us because of the color of our skin when all we wanted was an education.”
She said that a local jeweler refused to give her a class ring because she was the only senior that year and, despite graduating, she did not receive a diploma for 19 years.
“No class ring, no diploma, no prom, no graduation,” Baltimore said, adding that while she appreciated a graduation ceremony held for her by NAACP in Harlem, it was lacking in important ways. “At a graduation, you want family, you want friends, I had none of that.”
Suetta Freeman, who helped organize the event, was also among the first group of African American students at Warren County High School.
Calling the group “warriors who have fought diligently through the years for the Warren and Page NAACP,” Freeman introduced the oldest living members of the local NAACP chapter — Charles Barbour, Pearl Jordan, Betty Roberts, Lillian Sloane, and the Rev. Alfred Woods.
Stephanie Banks, daughter of the late George Banks, Front Royal’s first Black Town Council member and mayor, helped open the ceremony, saying that her father “dedicated his life to breaking down barriers and creating a more inclusive and united community for all residents. I have no doubt that he would have been overjoyed to see the first Juneteenth celebration taking place here. I know he would have been so proud to see this important event bringing our town together in such a meaningful way.”
Among the 25 tents set up around the gazebo, a group from Calvary Episcopal Church in Front Royal was greeting festival-goers.
“Reparations and racial healing and reconciliation is a cornerstone of the Episcopal church’s mission,” said church Vestry member Sarah Downs. “It’s really important that we’re here today to show our community exactly who Calvary Episcopal Church is as a life giving, liberating, and loving base for people of all genders and all races.”
Downs, 24, and fellow Vestry member Rea Howarth, 77, said that the church is open to all and eager to play a role in racial reconciliation.
Looking over the crowd at mid-day, Gene Kilby, organizer of the event, said “I’m pleased. Everyone seems elated.”
