“Remember how hard we fought for this moment” – Dover celebrates Juneteenth

DOVER, Del. – Some of Delaware’s top leaders showed out for a Juneteenth festival in Dover. They say that the day isn’t just about celebrating freedom, but also about passing on an important message to the younger generation.

Celebrating Freedom, Acknowledging Injustice

“People don’t know one another, and they’re afraid of what they don’t know. So, the definition of fear is false evidence appearing real. Once you get to know the truth, then you have nothing to fear,” said civil rights leader Dr. Reba Hollingsworth.

“You take the knowledge that you can get, and build on it. Since you know this much, then certainly try to stick it out more. There’s an awful lot more to know about Juneteenth,” said Dr. Hollingsworth. “To look at the color of the skin means absolutely nothing. You have to talk to a person to find out what’s between their ears. If you look at what’s between our ears, and open it up, we’re all gray matter.”

U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester says 157 years after enslaved people were informed of their freedom in Texas, progress has been made in the fight for racial equality. But, she says it’s not over yet.

“It’s bitter that we have to worry about people walking to their own grocery store and getting groceries and not being shot right here in our own communities. It’s bitter,” she said. “But, it’s sweet that we get to fellowship together like this, and that we’re not drinking from separate water fountains.”

Planning and Preparing

For months, Dover High School (DHS) students planned and prepared to highlight the opposite of that bitterness. In addition to giving space for Black-owned businesses to sell their products, community resources were also provided, including 50 free meals to those in need.

“They’re doing a lot to change things that they don’t like. This year, I think they’ve a lot been a lot more ambitious,” said DHS Black Communities on Campus Advisor Gabi Lasalle. “It gives them a chance to kind of see what this community needs. Unless you’re out in it, you don’t really know. You hear about it, especially because most people know that Dover High School is the community where we serve a lot of the population has a lower socioeconomic status.”

Lasalle says while the students were getting ready to teach their community an important lesson, they were learning, themselves.

“When they’re seeing how all these different underprivileged people are coming out and making it to this event, and telling their stories, some of the things they’re going through and just how appreciative they are of us putting on such an event, they’re starting to see there is more that we can do in our community to reach out to people,” said Lasalle.

In addition to those lessons, Dr. Hollingsworth says the color of one’s skin should not determine accessibility or success. “This is an opportunity for the races to come together, and actually respect the accomplishments of each other, and to realize that there’s really no difference in any of us, because God created each one of us in Africa,” she said. “There are a lot of things that we can do to make this community better, and there’s absolutely no reason why there ought to be people who are hungry, people who have no place to live, walking around any of the streets in these United States.”

Moving Forward

Meanwhile, community members tell 47ABC they hope to see Black history become a permanent part of K-12 curricula. They say that’s because Black history is United States history. Community member and House of Representatives candidate Lavaughn McCutchen says younger generations need, and deserve, to know about their roots, and where they’re headed.

“I feel as though we should bring that into high schools. A lot of kids don’t have the correct information, or have misinterpretations about things besides February, which is Black History Month. It should be ensured in schools all year round,” he said. “Learn your history. Don’t believe everything in textbooks. There are a lot more things out there than what they say in the textbooks. Touch bases with your family members, because a lot of them have been through it.”

And for the youngest Delawareans, community members are urging them to carry on their legacy, and never give up. “Remember how hard we fought for this moment. A couple years ago, Juneteenth wasn’t even something that was really recognized. It’s now a state holiday, and that gives us an opportunity to actually have a day off of work to celebrate it,” said Lasalle.