Successful Juneteenth Celebration Comes to Carver Park

 Photos and interviews by Gary Hackler

The movement of this year’s Juneteenth celebration to Carver Park proved a solid success during Thursday afternoon’s family activities.  And Chris Hightower, the co-founder of the Juneteenth Celebration Committee, credited young people, Jahviah Williams and her cousin Jaivion Smith, for really spurring things on this year.

AUDIO: They started planning independently.  They wanted to do a block party.  And they wanted it to be from 5 to 9 at Carver Park.  And once they started, it just lit a fire under me to make sure that I did what I could to assist them, and to also do what I do.  This is something that means a lot to the community, and I’m thankful to these young people for reminding me of that.

Hightower says this is a great example of where today’s youngsters deserve more credit.

AUDIO: There are so many young people that are out here doing fantastic things.  And too often they get brushed with a broad brush for the mistakes and the transgressions of some of their peers.  But these kids do so much great work, and it’s important that we highlight that and we show that; so people can see what these youth, what these kids, and I don’t even want to call them kids; but what these young adults are doing, and how impactful they can be on this community.

For Jaivion Smith, it’s a matter of showing young people the importance of doing positive things.

AUDIO: I just try to motivate the kids.  And then, like it’s about the freedom, the culture; it’s for everybody to come around and get to know each other more, and get more connections.  It’s about showing love, showing respect.

Danville Alderman Ed Butler in the NAACP booth at Thursday’s Juneteenth event in Carver Park.

Danville Alderman Ed Butler says freedom is important to celebrate, but freedom from problems that hurt the community is a constant battle.

AUDIO: We are free to do what we want.  But are we free from domestic, alcohol, drugs, and all that stuff?  No, we’re not.  We can celebrate our freedom; that we come together, we eat and feast, and just show more love toward on another.

Jahviah Williams says her involvement is to promote the importance of Juneteeth.

AUDIO: Because a lot of people don’t celebrate Juneteenth, or don’t know what Juneteenth is.  But I think the growth in the success of our ancestors, and the young business owners of Danville, needs to be celebrated.

Jahviah Williams, by the way, is currently studying Psychology, at Southern University in Baton Rouge.