ANDOVER — History, culture and community converged on the park grounds for an annual celebration designed to celebrate freedom and the struggle to achieve it.
A pair of flags — one red, white and blue, and the other with “June 19, 1865” across the bottom — led a march of dozens through The Park at 34 Bartlett St., for Andover’s sixth annual Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday.
Hosted by the Andover Baptist Church, this year’s theme, “Keep Home Alive: Honoring Our Past, Protecting Our Future,” guided the afternoon of music, education, community engagement and cultural celebration.
The event opened with a march to the park’s gazebo led by the Rev. Lyndon Myers of Andover Baptist Church. At the front of the procession was an American flag and a Juneteenth flag.
Myers served as the master of ceremonies throughout the event.
“Juneteenth celebrates freedom, but it also reminds us of the strength, resilience and determination of those who came before us and the responsibility we share to continue building a more just future,” Myers said.
He said the town’s observance of Juneteenth was organized to be welcoming, educational and family-friendly, giving attendees an opportunity not only to celebrate but also to learn more about the holiday and its history.
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom more than two years after the official Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Copies of the Emancipation Proclamation were also displayed and distributed and displayed on Saturday.
The gazebo served as the center of activity for much of the afternoon, with speakers addressing the crowd, DJs providing music and crowds forming for performances and presentations.
The Choral Majority gospel performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and organizers shared print-outs of the song lyrics so folks could join in the performance.
Ralph Bledsoe, a science teacher at Andover High School and public servant in the community also spoke, discussing Civil War-era history and its connection to Juneteenth and modern society.
State Sen. Barry Finegold spoke on the broader meaning of freedom and equality on the weekend following Freedom Day.
“If there’s someone else that doesn’t have their freedom, someone else that’s getting discriminated against, someone that is being left behind, it needs to be all of our problem,” Finegold said.
State Rep. Tram Nguyen reflected on both the historical importance of Juneteenth and her own experience as an immigrant. She mentioned her upbringing, moving to the United States from Vietnam at the age of 5, and since making the Merrimack Valley her home.
“It’s a reminder that progress does not always arrive when it should and that freedom delayed is freedom denied,” Nguyen said.
Families took part in games and activities, art-making opportunities, line dancing and spoken-word performances. Food and drinks were being served at a number of spots like Boston Barbecue Food Truck, Chef Shepard Food Truck, Monica’s Mithai Cafe Indian Food, a beer and wine garden featuring Andover’s Oak & Iron Brewery and a Juneteenth-themed beverage vendor.
Visitors also explored a vendor market that lined Whittier Street beside the park, where local and regional organizations, artisans and businesses set up tents and tables.
