Dozens of people gathered at the Burma Road Chapel last month for Unalaska’s second annual Juneteenth celebration, hosted by the city’s Department of Parks, Culture and Recreation.
Juneteenth is a federally recognized holiday that commemorates the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to inform Black slaves of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
Alia Franklin, the city’s special events coordinator, helped start Unalaska’s Juneteenth celebration last year. She said this year's theme focused on storytelling and encouraged people at the event to share their stories with one another.
“We gather because they survived it,” Franklin said, addressing the crowd. “They survived, they kept loving, they kept cooking, they kept singing, they kept praying, they kept telling stories, they kept passing down what they knew, so the next generation would remember. And tonight we want to keep that same memory alive.”
The event featured food, speeches and conversation among community members. The evening ended with line dancing and music provided by local DJ Kenyi, Mapke Kenyi, who is also the city’s finance controller and treasurer.
“Please get some more food — we have so much,” Franklin said. “Dance with us tonight, Mr. Kenyi has some good jams, and I appreciate you guys for coming out.”
The Parks Department’s next event is a dive-in movie night at the pool on July 1 at 6:30 p.m.
The city’s Fourth of July festivities will kick off with fireworks over Iliuliuk Bay at 11:59 p.m. on July 3. The fireworks will be followed by a community barbecue and parade the following day. You can find more information on the city’s website.
