LAFAYETEE COUNTY JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION SCHEDULE OF EVENT - NEW UPDATES!!!

“UNITED WE STAND: NOW OR NEVER!”

The Lafayette County, MO Juneteenth Celebration will be held on Friday, June 14, 2019 and June 15, 2019. The theme of the event is “United We Stand: Now or Never!” The day will include the following activities: a flag-raising ceremony, a light brunch, meet and greet and voter registration and voting information workshop, commemoration service for the Civil War U.S.C.T. veterans who are buried in the Mount Muncie Cemetery, an exhibit of educational displays , a real life storytelling panel, historical Juneteenth memories since 2005 on video, and an evening program.

The evening program will start at 5:30 PM. It will include a potluck welcome dinner, music, and Mr. Ray Anthony Shepard, keynote speaker and author. As always, our event is free and family-friendly. Most of the day's activities are at the community building in the Fairground Park in Higgins ville, MO.

Juneteenth Celebration on the Move! - Saturday, June 15, 2019 event will be a bus tour to historic sites. We will be visiting the Rose M. Nolen Black History Library in Sedalia, MO and the Pennytown hamlet in Saline County. As always, our event is free and family-friendly.

ACTIVITIES OF THE DAY

COMMUNITY BUILDING - 801 W. 29TH STREET - FAIRGROUND PARK

Friday, June 14, 2019

10 AM FLAG-RAISING CEREMONY - COMMUNITY BUILDING - 801 WEST 29TH ST. south of the 4-H building. Local cub scout troop will be assisting.

10:45 AM - MEET AND GREET, AND SHARING & LIGHT BRUNCH - Updates from government and area officials, agencies, and an update of an initiative on the care of African American cemeteries in the the county.

1 PM - VOTER REGISTRATION, VOTING INFORMATION, Real ID info. The presenter is Linda Niendick, Lafayette County Clerk, COMMUNITY BUILDING, 801 W. 29TH STREET - FAIRGROUND PARK

3 PM - CIVIL WAR U.S.C.T. COMMEMORATION SERVICE – Service is at the Mount Muncie Cemetery. Joseph Johnson, Perry Parker, and Charles Smith, Union soldiers will be honored. The Mount Muncie Cemetery is located south on Shelby Road in Higginsville, MO. Dr. Joahn Hall of the Howard A. Hall Foundation and Buffalo Six Ranch in Richmond, MO will have a special riderless horse tribute. Everyone is welcome and we ask that veterans come, too.

3:45 PM - OPENING OF THE EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITS - COMMUNITY BUILDING - 801 W. 29TH STREET - FAIRGROUND PARK - Emanuel Mason shares his collection of Lexington memorabilia.

4:00 PM - Real Life-sharing Storytellers Panel, moderator Allan Lee. Reverend Wilbur Conway, Hazel Johnson, Emanuel Mason, Milton Smith, and James Watkins are the panelists. They will share about growing up, working, living in the county and other places. They will share words of wisdom and participate in a brief Q&A session.

5:30 PM - JUNETEENTH EVENING PROGRAM: POT LUCK DINNER, MUSIC - MEAT AND DRINKS PROVIDED BY THE JUNETEENTH COMMITTEE. ATTENDEES ARE ASKED TO BRING SIDE DISHES AND DESSERTS. (No dishes with shellfish, please! No shrimp, clams, mussels, crayfish,etc.) Contact Arron Haynes at 816-419-3704, chair person and let us know if you are coming!

                                                                        

6:30 PM KEYNOTE ADDRESS – Ray Anthony Shepard, author and speaker and Q & A session with speaker and book-signing. Copies of the book, Now or Never!: 54^th Massachusetts Infantry's War to End Slavery will be on sale for $16.

Saturday, June 15, 2019

WE ARE ON THE MOVE!

Juneteenth Celebration on the Move! - Saturday, June 15, 2019 event will be a bus tour to historic sites. We will be visiting the Rose M. Nolen Black History Library in Sedalia(10 am arrival time) and the Pennytown hamlet in Saline County ( 1:15-1:30 pm estimated arrival time).

We will board the bus at 8:15 am and depart promptly 9 am. Meeting location to board the bus is at the shelter house adjacent to the community building in Fairground Park, Higginsville, MO.

 Lunch for the day will be prepared by the Taylor Chapel UMC Church in Sedalia, MO. Donations for the lunch and to cover the transportation costs greatly are appreciated. 

Estimated time of return is 5 pm. Please call or text Arron Haynes to reserve your seat at 816-419-3704! Please let us know if you are going to drive to the Nolen Library and want to be included in the lunch count.