Annandale church commemorates Juneteenth
Members of Little River United Church of Christ in Annandale observed Juneteenth on June 19 with a demonstration on Little River Turnpike.
Drivers passing by honked as they saw people’s signs with such messages as “Black History is American History,” “Black Lives Matter,” and “Honk for Juneteenth.”
Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people. President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, but the last group of enslaved people in the U.S. weren’t informed of their freedom until June 19, 1865. Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in 2021.
Little River United Church of Christ also hosted a presentation on the history of Juneteenth, held a re-enactment of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, and displayed signs with quotes on the meaning of the holiday.
“We think Juneteenth is important because we’re followers of Jesus, and Jesus was all about justice and love and truth-telling. And that’s what Juneteenth is about,” says Rev. Shelli Poe.
“It’s about remembering the history of the enslavement of people and the continuing injustice that is done to them, even up to today,” she says. “So, by observing Juneteenth, we are raising our voices to make sure that the day does not go by unnoticed. Black lives matter and all people of color matter.”
After emancipation, freedom and justice were delayed for Black people, one of the signs on display in the church parking lot states. There were decades of lynchings, imprisonment, and Jim Crow laws mandating segregation.
What followed was the disproportionate impact of mass incarceration, discriminatory housing policies, and a lack of economic investment, as well as acts of police violence and racial profiling. “It is clear that while progress has been made in black America’s 150 years out of bondage,” the sign states, “considerable barriers continue to impede that progress.”
Guess I’m wordsmithing. To me the use of the word demontration conveys a negative feeling. I don’t believe this was the intent of this group.
does the word “demonstration” offend you? What an odd thing to post.
She didn’t say the word offends her. This group showing their support for the holiday is different from a group simply demonstrating. Even ‘demonstrating their support’ would have sounded better. The poster spent many years teaching children at Columbia Elementary and is neither odd nor unfamiliar with the English language.
Cheryl is right that the intent of the congregation is to publicly support people of color on Juneteenth. Thanks for clarifying!
This is not a church in the traditional sense. It’s a woke cult.
Wow! You know nothing about us yet you call us a cult. Read the news. Bless your heart
As a member of Little River United Church of Christ, I can be a witness that we are a Christian church.
I’m all for freedom of speech, but I don’t understand why Annandale approves messages like this. All speech isn’t worthy of repetition and this falls squarely into that basket. There is no information, it’s not well intentioned albeit incorrect, there is ideas or points to debate, aside from disecting what the auther believes “woke” and “cult” to mean. (Hint, hint: “Woke” is the newest version of “thug” and the like, coded language to confer a collection of fears and prejudices of others.)
The only point of posts like the one above is to inflame and divide. If the website is going to go ahead and approve of comments like it, why doesn’t it just go ahead and fix the post to something like:
“Janice Powers on Glebe Road is a Xenophobe.”
If this is what woke cults do, then sign me up!
The current use of term, “woke” is an appropriation of language used in African American communities. It was first used in Ferguson, MO when Michael Brown was murdered by local police. It means “beware,” “caution. ” Stop appropriating terms when you don’t the correct meaning
‘Woke’ has been around longer than the incident in Missouri, and has grown to mean way beyond the narrow definition provided. Also, after extensive investigation by local and federal law enforcement agencies and trial by grand jury, the officer was never indicted for murder. I do not agree with Mr. Powers statement either, but at this point her use of the word is not an appropriation, and your etymology is inaccurate as is your description of its origin.
Great to see this important date in history commemorated and celebrated! Thank you, Little River United Church of Christ.
Blessed to be a member of Little River UCC where our love for Jesus overflows in acts of solidarity and justice.
Thank you to Little River Church of Christ. We need more of this!