Juneteenth events draw crowds in Cape Girardeau

Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought news of the end of slavery to Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and Friday, three events in Cape Girardeau brought people together for fun, food, music and fellowship.

On the lawn at One City, 610 Independence St., more than 100 people gathered Friday evening to eat, celebrate black-owned businesses and socialize in an atmosphere of fun and remembrance.

Airbrush artist Malcolm McCrae kicked off the evening's festivities with a "say their name" litany of figures important in Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri's African American history.

After his speech, McCrae said he's inspired to see Juneteenth celebrated in Cape Girardeau, by so many people.

"I'm from Milwaukee, where they have one of the biggest Juneteenth celebrations," McCrae said. Every year, his father, known as Pops, would have a booth at the celebrations there.

Macy Brady, left, Simuel Smith and Keihanna Smith set up artwork at a Juneteenth celebration Friday, June 19, 2020, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.Marybeth Niederkorn ~ mniederkorn@semissourian.com

McCrae said these celebrations are the result of grassroots efforts by several people, coordinating to allow people to visit each event if they wanted.

"I'm honored, excited to be here," McCrae said. "Hopefully it will continue."

Taneshia Pulley of Sikeston, Missouri, said she'd heard about the event on Facebook and she and a friend decided to check it out.

"I'm glad they're actually doing something to celebrate [Juneteenth]," Pulley said. "I think this is the first year for it. It can only get bigger and better from here."

Vendors included True-Que Barbecue, organizer Michele Jackson's African Cultural Collective, From Scratch Inx, ANTI Clothing, J. Renee Boutiques, Rosetta Marie, Umpkins Unique Hair & Beauty Supply, Toni's Touch Handmade Cards, Cake Pops by Dae, The Corner Grocery Store, Chosen Fitness, McCrae's Pollination Station Art Bus and Pop Up Shop, and Sassy + Chic Boutique.

Revelers gather at a park shelter to celebrate Juneteenth on Friday, June 19, 2020, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.Marybeth Niederkorn ~ mniederkorn@semissourian.com

The One City event was co-organized by Michele Jackson and Kaleisha Walker.

Ann Haight, co-organizer of the Arena Park event, said she and Damontae Maxwell have organized several events together before, but Friday's celebration turned out better than they'd originally envisioned.

"We'd learned about Juneteenth in the past couple of years, and thought, 'What a great way to bring people together for the right reason,'" Haight said.

As they began planning, more and more people were interested, she said, until what they had initially thought of as more or less a family-style barbecue became an inclusive event for the community.

A DJ played music in one shelter at Arena Park, where Anthony Green barbecued chicken and artists set up paintings.

At two other shelters, families watched as their children played on the playgrounds.

A basketball tournament was taking sign-ups midafternoon Friday.

A voter registration booth was set up, too.

"Good food and information," Haight said. "And fun."

Red and green balloons decorated each park shelter, an important symbolic gesture, Haight said.

"Red is a staple color of Juneteenth," Haight said. "It shows resilience and perseverance -- a big thing to hold on to right now."

Maxwell said he was excited to see the turnout, and hoped the other Juneteenth events drew a crowd too.

A third Juneteenth celebration -- a cookout -- was held late Friday at 20 N. Pacific St., an up and coming art gallery and safe space for black people, organizer Paris Newson previously told the Southeast Missourian.

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