By Hannah Brown | The State Journal
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20 Jun, 2022
By June 19, 2023, Gov. Andy Beshear is hoping to make Juneteenth a state holiday. The holiday is already recognized federally. “I'm going to keep pushing for it to be a state holiday,” Beshear said during the Juneteenth Celebration at Lakeview Park Saturday. The celebration was part of four days of events for the holiday that marks the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that enslaved people were freed — 2½ years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Juneteenth honors the end of slavery in the U.S. and is widely considered to be the longest-running African American holiday in the country. “It’s a day where we stand united in acknowledging the end of our nation's great injustice, though it took about six more months for it to happen in Kentucky,” Beshear said. “But, it’s still a day we celebrate the strength and courage of African Americans and the contributions they have made to our country and to this commonwealth. “Today is also a day that we acknowledge that we have a long way to go to true equality not just here in the commonwealth, but all over the country.” The Juneteenth celebrations, hosted by Focus On Race Relations–Frankfort (FORR), began Friday evening with a race where more than 80 people participated. Angela Eldridge, who performs communications for FORR, said that 72 informational signs depicting African American history in Franklin County lined the walking path at Lakeview Park that participants viewed along their race. “It was a joyful occasion,” Eldridge said. Saturday’s event at Lakeview Park included vendors, food trucks, a bounce house, train and obstacle race for kids, a silent auction, scavenger hunt and more. During the event, Beshear was also on hand to announce the winners of the FORR essay contest. Anna Quarles won the contest and received a $2,500 scholarship; Varshitha Ramesh placed second and received a $1,250 scholarship; Lucy Cunningham placed third and received a $1,000 scholarship; and Cadence Hamilton placed fourth and received a $750 scholarship. “If these youth are the leaders of our future, we’re in good hands,” Ed Powe, president of FORR, said about the essay contest winners. Irma Johnson, from the Kentucky State University College of Agriculture, was working an activity booth where attendees painted Juneteenth artwork. “This event is about the entire community recognizing the importance of Juneteenth,” Johnson said. “Some people would look at you and say, ‘what does Juneteenth mean?’ It’s so relevant. Taking the time out to recognize it is important.” During the event, Mary Ashcraft Watts, a member of FORR, approached Powe and thanked him for organizing the event. “It helps those of us who are less aware of the importance to our African American community,” Ashcraft Watts said. Powe was pleased with the turnout of the event. “The crowds have been having a good time and I’m glad all these volunteers have come out and set up things for kids and are making it educational, as well as fun,” Powe said. “One of the main things is that we want to increase the level of awareness of race-related issues and have it be fun and educational at the same time. “We are better together — which is our slogan. This event is actual proof of that.” Powe said money raised during the Juneteenth events will benefit FORR and it’s many causes, one being a scholarship for a local student next year who plans to attend KSU and major in education. Saturday evening, a Juneteenth Forum took place at the Kentucky Historical Society where a panel discussed local race-related issues in Franklin County and Frankfort Independent schools. The conversation mainly centered on what was discussed in a student forum that was held Wednesday, June 15. Noel McCutchen, Allie Douglas, Katima Smith-Willis and Natalee Cleveland served on the panel, which was led by Kristie Powe, vice president of FORR. During the student forum, the “n-word pass” was discussed. Some of the panelists were not aware of the “n-word pass” in schools where white students receive a pass from their Black friends to say the n-word. “I was shocked that was something going on,” Cleveland said. “I couldn’t imagine giving the pass or hearing it. It’s horrible for someone to want that pass.” Smith-Willis, who graduated in 2014, said she had heard of the pass when she was in school. “For the white kid receiving the pass, it’s for popularity purposes,” Smith-Willis said. “The ‘n-word pass’ is the most ignorant thing I could think of.” A lot of the discussion was about the school districts disciplinary policies for racist and discriminatory acts. Cleveland said there should be a zero-tolerance policy for using racial slurs in school. “It should be laid out as to what happens if your child uses this language,” Cleveland said. Cleveland’s daughter, who attends Second Street School, was recently called the n-word and she said the principal addressed it immediately and disciplinary action was taken. But, she feels those actions need to be clearly written in a school handbook that parents need to be aware of and sign off on. Panelists also brought up the fact that a lot of racist incidents happen after school hours and often on social media. “The schools should hold their students accountable even off school property,” Smith-Willis said. Douglas talked about an incident where a group of kids were recorded on FaceTime talking about wanting to hurt a group of kids and then started screaming the n-word. She and Kristie Powe took the video to school administrators. "Was the situation handled? Yes,” Douglas said. “Am I satisfied with the way it was handled? Not really, because they didn't really address the racist issue. They ignored that the kids were screaming the n-word. I feel like a lot more should have been done.” McCutchen, a mother of bi-racial children, thinks that some kids who complain about having racist acts made against them are being labeled as hypersensitive by school staff. “We as white people say, ‘that was bad but get over it,’ and when the kids make a big deal about it, they’re being hypersensitive,” McCutchen said. “In the solution, I’d like to see teachers trained and educated so they’re not labeling students. These kids are leaving the schools needing to heal.” Smith-Willis said she hasn’t seen much change in race-related issues in Frankfort’s schools over time, but she is hopeful. “We’re headed in the right direction,” Smith-Willis said. “As long as we keep progressing, we can make that change in Frankfort.” Kristie Powe was pleased with the discussion that took place during the forum Saturday night. “The conversation has started, and it’s not going to end,” she said. “The student forum taught us that they want to have this conversation and they want to be heard by adults.” On Sunday, an Old-Time Community Picnic where international artist Darryl Van Leer performed a reenactment of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speeches took place behind the Capitol on the lawn. Leer will also perform reenactments and offer his perspectives on the Juneteenth holiday at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Paul Sawyier Public Library.
