Philadelphia Juneteenth Remember CWPs 6th, 8th, 22nd, 25th, 41st, 43rd, and 127th  Infantries Part 2
Channel: Alicia Dorsey
Date: 2019-06-15

June, 12th 2019 i attended Juneteenth presentation given by Mr. Ronald Brown aka Mr. Juneteenth at the Lucien Blackwell Library in West Philadelphia. Mr. Juneteenth shared with us lessons of our past and the passage of HB619 making Juneteenth an official holiday in Pennsylvania.  Mr. Brown is the Northeast Regional Juneteenth Director, Founder and Chairperson of Pennsylvania Juneteenth Coalition. Philadelphia’s Juneteenth origin began on June 19th 1863. #PhiladelphiaFreedomMarch ended in Texas with the freeing of the last slaves in Galveston Texas on June 19th 1865. Mr. Ron Brown a native Philadelphian founded Germantown Juneteenth Coalition (GJC) in 1995. GJC hosted one of PA’s first Juneteenth Celebration, in Germantown PA 1997. GJC 1997 Juneteenth celebration has evolved to a Coalition of Juneteenth Celebrations taking place in counties throughout the State of Pennsylvania.

I learned that August 25, 1619 is when Sir William Penn bought slaves into Philadelphia near the Penns Landing site. The first protest to end slavery by abolitionist occurred in Germantown .  So much untold history was shared, what i came away with is this. African Americans were coming to Philadelphia for freedom. Philadelphia Freedom March made the trip to Galveston Texas to inform the last of slaves in United States of America that they were free. The Philadelphia Freedom March was African American men who had no fear of dying so that we all could be free. The Quakers were sympathetic to the African struggle and tried to help but wouldn't employee the Irish because they had their labor force with the Africans.

Learning that there are free and enslaved Africans in Philadelphia at this time. Free Africans often advocated for the freedom of all Africans and the end of oppression of one another. Absalom Jones and Octavious Catto were two of the instrumental advocates in Philadelphia. The Irish were upset because they couldn't make a way of their own and wanted the jobs the Africans had. The Irish then began to attack the Jamaican communities in south philly. Burned down their homes, schools and churches. All because they were dependent on a system created by the British. 

I shared some of the facts of Juneteenth with my grandson, and try to share a little more each time we have the conversation. When i ask him what is Juneteenth he shares back that the state with a t, is where the last slaves where in our country. Best part in sharing this story is that i video recorded so that i'm telling the facts accurately.  Looking forward to the Juneteenth curriculum used in our schools!!