On June 20, 2020, the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC) would have celebrated its 17th annual Juneteenth Celebration.

The Juneteenth celebration was first observed on June 19, 1865 in Galveston, TX. It is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. In 1863, during the American Civil War, Pres. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared more than three million slaves living in the Confederate states to be free. More than two years would pass, however, before the news reached slaves in Texas.

Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with General Order #3 to announce that the war had ended and that the “enslaved” were now free. The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1865 in the aftermath of the Civil War, abolished slavery in the United States.

Juneteenth celebrations have been held for 155 years. No longer could any human being be considered ‘property’ of another human in America. No longer would Africans be captured, chained, beaten, and transported on ships to American soil to be forced to provide free labor to white people.

Juneteenth is celebrated in every state in America and is a state holiday in forty- five states and the District of Columbia. UCAC takes pride in celebrating the end of slavery in America in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. Using the day to recognize the end of slavery and to celebrate the culture and achievements of African Americans. It is a day of commemoration, education, community building and fun. It is a time to remember. Humans tend to forget their past and repeat the same mistakes. But Juneteenth is also a time to celebrate the possibilities of a future in America, free of inequality and prejudice. Juneteenth is for all people of every color, creed and nationality. The more different races come together, the more we will understand our differences and celebrate those differences.

Mike Brown, president of UCAC said, “We have always celebrated Juneteenth right in the heart of Lexington Park. We hold it in Lancaster Park, named after John G. Lancaster, the first and only African American County Commissioner. We also wanted to acknowledge the former community of Lexington Manor (The Flattops) and its segregated counter-part, Carver Heights which were demolished and families of all races were displaced. We are encouraged that Juneteenth brings hope and encouragement to the area.

Due to Covid-19, we will not have our celebration this year, for the safety of everyone’s health. The parks are closed to large gatherings. With the current turmoil and protest in the streets of small towns and major cities, I wish even more that we could have celebrated this year. We would talk about why George Floyd was killed. We can do better than this. We must do better or we will all perish together. “All men are created equal”. Legislation has been presented for many years to commemorate Juneteenth as a National Holiday. Now is the time to call or write your congress persons to make this happen. We are looking forward to 2021. We plan to have the best Juneteenth ever. I am inviting everyone to mark your calendars for June 19th, 2021 and come out to celebrate with us.”

Regards,
Mike Brown, President
Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions