Here's how Corpus Christi celebrates Juneteenth 2022
The Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education-Corpus Christi hosted a 10 day celebration of Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the freeing of Black slaves in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation took effect.
On Saturday, a few hundred people gathered at Water’s Edge Park and spilled onto surrounding beaches for a festival celebrating the holiday and Black Culture. The event hosted health clinics, nonprofits, live music, food and other vendors.
“Here in Corpus Christi, there's not a large population of my people, (Black) people. (I'm) teaching them what Juneteenth is about and allowing them to be around the culture where they can see there's more of them actually in our city,” said Lazrik Pettis, a father attending the festival with his children.
Pettis said many of his childhood friends migrated from the city citing the dwindling Black community.
"If the cycle keeps happening like that there's never going to be a good population of Blacks here," he said. "I would say for them (his kids) to take that challenge and stay here, if it's their calling – Make a difference here."
The final event, held Sunday, June 19, in Hillcrest, a historic African-American and Hispanic neighborhood, also fell on Father's Day.
Families gathered at the freshly mowed H.J. Williams Memorial Park for free barbecue, music and games.
Former Hillcrest resident Alfred Bradley, of Corpus Christi, watched Juneteenth for the Crest Family Fun Day from under the shade of a popup canopy.
Bradley said having a federal holiday in observance of African-American history means a lot to him.
"It's been well observed for a long time by a lot of people," he said "(Now) it's just come more to the forefront and getting a little more participation."
In attendance with Bradley was Dorales Burns, visiting from Philadelphia, Penn., and her children. She said schools are now teaching children the history behind the holiday.
"You learned about the 4th of July but not Juneteenth," Burns said, "Juneteenth is our (African-American) Independence Day."
Burns and Bradley have ties to the shrinking neighborhood and said they appreciate the historical significance of hosting the event in the formerly segregated community.
Other Juneteenth events throughout the jubilee included educational and informational workshops and panels, worship services, the annual Black and White Dinner and Dance.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: TABPHE-Corpus Christi hosted a ten day celebration of Juneteenth
