Celebrate Texas Independence at "Independence Eve"

March 1

 

Juneteenth Heritage Celebration

06/22/2019, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

On the 19th of June 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and made a declaration of freedom ending the bondage of approximately 250,000 enslaved men, women and children in Texas.  Since that time, Juneteenth has been celebrated and remembered by picnics, parades, family reunions, pageants, barbecues and games.  The Brazos Valley has a rich history in celebrating Juneteenth, including the Juneteenth parade in Brenham, TX, which began in the early 1870s and continues to this day.

Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site observe this important occasion with its Juneteenth Heritage Celebration from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 23400 Park Road 12, Washington, TX, 77880.   Celebrating the rich African American heritage and culture of the Brazos Valley, past and present, the event will occur on the park’s shaded grounds and in the conference centers.

The family friendly Juneteenth Heritage Celebration will include a full day of food, art displays, musical performances. The Brown Sugar Band will headline. Formed in Texas in 1975 by Ms. Lorraine Brown and led now by Sandra “Brown Sugar” Lee. Brown Sugar consists of 5 members all of whom are skilled in their independent musical crafts which easily enables them to come together as one and give you a musical moment to be remembered!

Additional activities include singer/songwriter Brandi Pace, The Fantasy Band playing jazz and blues, the Mt. Rose Missionary Baptist Church Men’s Chorus, food trucks, a Kids Zone with old time games, and craft-making with volunteers from the Children’s Museum of the Brazos Valley.

Exhibits featured are the Johnnie Swearingen Artwork brought to you by Chappell Hill Historical Society, Texas Parks and Wildlife Buffalo Soldiers, Prairie View Trail Riders Association, Buffalo Soldier Museum, Washington County Historical Juneteenth Association, Brazos Valley African American Museum, Cherokee County Historical Commission, Brenham Heritage Museum, Lincoln Recreation Center from College Station Parks & Recreation Department, Local Artist Lloyd Mays, Washington Cemetery Association, Chappell Hill Cultural Heritage Group, Father’s Heart, Mother’s Love and The Texas Ten from Brenham.

The prominent guest speaker will be Cleveland Franklin, a Brenham native who first played football for Baylor and in 1974 was a member of the team which beat No. 1 ranked Oklahoma during what was called the “Miracle on the Brazos”.  Mr. Franklin then went on to play professional football for the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Colts (now the Indianapolis Colts). Other guest speakers include Dr. Bruce Glasrud who will be speaking about the significance of J. Mason Brewer, the African American folklorist, and Stephanie Klemm, curator of the Star of the Republic Museum will give a presentation about some of the African American artifacts in the museum’s collection.

Sponsors include H-E-B, Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Herzstein Foundation, City of Navasota, Arts Council of the Brazos Valley and Rotary Club of Washington County.  For more information, contact Jordan Anderson at (936) 878-2214 ext. 224 or at Jordan.anderson@tpwd.texas.gov

 

Location Map (Washington on the Brazos Site)

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