A recent thank you to our supporters and friends. The public ad appeared in a recent Rocket advertiser issue in 2023.
Monday, October 16, 2023
Thursday, June 15, 2023
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JOIN US IN CELEBRATING
"TIME TO MAKE THAT CHANGE"
June 23 - 24, 2023
HIGGINSVILLE, MISSOURI
FAIRGROUND PARK
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery. June 19, 1865, union soldiers, led by General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with 2000 Federal troops to issue the order hat the Civil War had ended and that all slaves were free. This was two and half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that had become official on January 1, 1863.
The first Lafayette County Juneteenth celebration was held in 2005. There has been annual observance during most years since our start.
Juneteenth National Independence Day is a US federal holiday. It was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Thursday June 17, 2021. Juneteenth National Independence Day was observed on Monday, June 19, 2023.
The Mission Statement of the Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation
Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation Mission statement is to develop and implement a one day festival that promotes the celebration of family, celebrates African-American freedom, and cultivates mutual involvement of social service entities, and economic participation of the county-wide business community.
Scheduled Events
Friday June 23, 2023
10:00 am Annual Juneteenth Flag Raising Program -Ed Schwitzky 4-H Building
Join us as at the Boy Scout Troop #415 and Lafayette County C-1 Students assist us with our annual flag raising ceremony. Bleachers will be set up at the Ed Schwitzky 4-H Building in Fairground Park.
10:30 am Annual Meet & Greet - Community Building - Fairground Park
You are invited to join community group leaders and volunteers to meet and get acquainted and share. We will learn about what is going on in our Lafayette County communities. The Lafayette County C-1 students will make a special presentation. Refreshments will be served.
1:00 pm Presentation by Ray Sutherland Lafayette County School Middle School students will be our special guests. Everyone is welcome to attend.
2:00 pm Why Juneteenth Matters This is a panel presentation and Dr. Bonita Butner, Reverend Dale Felder, Reverend Wilbur Conway, and Ron Miller. Reverend Everett Hannon, Jr., moderator.
3:00 pm Service Is the Rent We Pay A panel of community persons who share their volunteer efforts in our communities. Panelists include Allan Lee, Helen Moore, and Teresa Gosoroski. Linda Smith will be the moderator. Update about the area black cemeteries' progress since an initiative that started several years ago. Voter registration and voting info will be available, too.
4:00 pm Help us get ready for the Annual Welcome Dinner. Our "pot of luck" meal will be served from 4:30 pm to 5:50 pm. The LCJF will provide the meats, bread, and drinks. We ask that our guests bring their best side dishes and desserts. There is no charge, but a donation box will be available.
4:30 pm - 5:50 pm Annual Welcome Dinner
6:00 pm "I Got MY....job, degree, vocational certificate, license, small business, etc!" A panel of young adults will share what they are doing. Panelists are Lawrence Cuington, Jada Hall, Kaylee Henry, Malick Manney, and Terrence Swinney, Le'Andrea Lewis, and Carol Hannon is the moderator.
Panelists
Lawrence Cuington is the owner of Cuington Building & Remodeling LLC. He has been a sole entrepreneur since 1990. He started as a mechanic. He went to North Lake College in Texas and studied under the National Association of Home Builders! Lawrence is also a licensed minister of the gospel. He serves as an associate minister at Second Missionary Baptist Church.
Jada Hall is a 2020 graduate of Lee's Summit North High School. She is currently enrolled in her senior year at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Majoring in Studio Art. Jada is a member of Second Missionary Baptist Church, Lexington, MO.
Kaylee Henry is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Central Missouri majoring in Child and Family Development with intention pursue her graduate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Kaylee has spent the last 2 years of her professional career in an administrative role at UCM. She is now the Assistant Program Director at Pro Deo Youth Center working with at risk-youth in the Lees Summit area. She moves forward on the Pro Deo team with a focus on building connections, providing consistency, and serving the youth of Lee’s Summit.
Le'Andrea Hannon-Lewis is a graduate of Warrensburg High School class of 1998 and Central Missouri State University(now UCM) class of 2002, where she earned a B.A. in Psychology. She has worked as a social worker for Pathways, the State of Missouri, and was also employed as a first grade teacher in the Raytown School District. She is currently a consultant for Tastefully Simple. Le'Andrea is married to Rev. Brandon Lewis, and has a 4-year-old daughter, Audriana. She is a member of Second Missionary Baptist Church, Lexington, MO, where she serves as the church pianist.
Milek Manney is a 2022 graduate v of Lee's Summit North High School. He is a soldier in the Army National Guard. While studying business at Metropolitan Community College, Milek cuts hair at Classic Transformation Barber Academy. After completing his associate degree, Milek plans to join the ROTC Officer Academy at Missouri University while barbering! He is a member of Second Missionary Baptist Church, Lexington, MO.
Terrence Swinney is a native of Lexington, Missouri. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in geography specialize in meteorology from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. He went on to receive his masters degree in Strategic Leadership from the University of Charleston, WV. For many years, Terence has been a collegiate volleyball coach, coaching both division 1 and division 2 volleyball. He has coached volleyball at the following schools: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, University of Charleston, Saint Francis University, University of Missouri - Kansas City, and currently at Rockhurst University. For his full-time job, he works at Parexel as an initiation clinical research associate, which is a pharmaceutical research company.
Terence is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. He holds the position as the Membership Intake Coordinator. Terrence is a member of Second Missionary Baptist Church, Lexington, MO.
7:00 pm Evening program will include Evelyn Trigg as our MC, special music by Carol Hannon, dramatization performed by Sheila Lee, recognition of people who planned the first ever Juneteenth celebration in our county, reminiscing about past Juneteenth celebrations through a special video, and plans for Juneteenth 2024. A keynote address will be given by Reverend Mary L. Williams! Reverend Williams has been a longtime friend and supporter of the Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation and our celebrations.
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| Reverend Mary L. Williams |
Introduction of Rev. Mary L. Williams
Rev. Mary Williams is a native of the East Texas town of Beaumont. Living only forty-five miles from Galveston (where the news of freedom for African Americans was first delivered), she has celebrated Juneteenth all of her life. She recalls being out of school on that day; participating in parades; being able to go to the Fair (not allowed to attend every day, due to segregation), and eating our favorite foods.
Her family consists of her late husband Clyde, married almost fifty years; a son, Hakim and his wife Jessica; and daughter Aisha, along with three grandchildren. She moved to Marshall in 1990, to pastor three United Methodist Churches, also in Sedalia and Slater.
Her academics include graduating from segregated Charlton-Pollard High School in Beaumont, TX; a B.S. degree in Computer Science from Prairie View A & M University; and a M.Div. In Pastoral Counseling from Phillips University.
She has a varied ministry as a Youth, Family and Marriage Counselor; Hospital, Correctional and Industrial Chaplain; Adjunct College Professor; School Teacher, Business Owner.
Her yearning to minister to people in developing counties led her to do missionary work in places like Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa. She was able to experience what is was like to live under apartheid in South Africa.
Prior to her ministerial calling, Mary worked at NASA in Houston, TX during the first Lunar Landing, as well as on the Space Shuttle Program. She has also done research in Nuclear and Environmental Physics.
It brings her joy to visit schools and share her love, knowledge and experience of African and African-American history, art and artifacts. Her passion is mentoring youth; traveling the world; and Creole cooking.
An author of several books, short stories, many poems, religious articles, and animated children’s sermons, her favorite style of writing is Creole. This recalls her mother and great aunt’s conversations, when they didn’t want others to know what they were saying. As a very active member of her community, she serves in a leadership role on many boards, agencies, and clubs.
WE ARE ON THE MOVE!!
Saturday, June 24, 2023 Black Archives Museum, 3406 Fredrick Avenue, St. Joseph, MO
We will meet at the Community Building and departure time is 9 am! We are excited to take a road trip to beautiful St. Joseph, MO. We will be touring the Black Archives Museum. We have a group rate of $7.00 per person. We will stop at a local Golden Corral for lunch on your own. We are carpooling and if you need a ride, please contact Arron Haynes at 816-419-3704.
Sunday, June 25, 2023
We invite you to join us as we worship at the Second Baptist Church, 1201 Main Street, Lexington, MO. Worship service starts at 11 am. Reverend Everett Hannon is the pastor.
For further information, please contact Arron Haynes, President at 816-419-3704, email him at abhaynes@ctcis.net.
The other Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation committee members are as follows: Deborah May -Vice President, Carol Hannon -Secretary, Linda Smith -Treasurer, Fred Smith, Ron Miller, Everett Williams, Reverend Everett Hannon, Jr., Reverend Dale Felder, Ron Miller, Sheila Lee, Evelyn Trigg, James Watkins, and Reverend Mary L. Williams.
Check out our Facebook page, and the blog at https://lafayettecountyjuneteenth.blogspot.com/. The Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation is a non-profit organization.
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
2023 LAFAYETTE COUNTY JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION - "TIME TO MAKE THAT CHANGE!"
The Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation is sponsoring a 2023 Juneteenth Celebration. The event will be held on Friday, June 23, 2023 and Saturday, June 24, 2023. The Friday celebration scheduled activities will be held at the Higginsville Community Center located at the Fairground Park. Activities are free and family-friendly. The theme is "TIME TO MAKE THAT CHANGE!
The Foundation members are Arron Haynes - President, Deborah May-Vice President, Carol Hannon -Recording Secretary, Linda Smith -Treasurer, Reverend Everett Hannon, Reverend Dale Felder, Reverend Mary Williams, Fred Smith, Sheila Lee, Ron Miller, Everett Williams, James Watkins, and Evelyn Trigg.
Friday activities will include the morning flag ceremony and the annual MEET & GREET. Everyone is welcome. We invite people and organizations that are wanting to network and partner with us. We share about what we are doing. Light refreshments will be provided.
The afternoon will start off with a time to learn. Afternoon activities will include "Why Juneteenth Matters"- a panel of speakers will give their perspectives, an update about the Initiative for the Care and Preservation of Black Cemeteries, voter registration and voting information, and taking part in our annual Welcome Dinner. The Foundation provides the meat, bread, and drinks. We ask that others bring your favorite side dish or dessert.
We close out the evening by hearing how some made that change! The evening activities will include a panel of motivated and talented young adults who will share on the panel how they got their degrees, vocational certifications, started small businesses, etc.
Our keynote speaker, Reverend Mary Williams, will close out our Friday program.
WE ARE ON THE MOVE!!
Saturday, June 24, 2023
We are excited to take a road trip to beautiful St. Joseph, MO. We will be touring the Black Archives of St. Joseph, MO. This town is known for many things, especially where the Pony Express started.
A final schedule will be shared at a later date.
Arron Haynes, President at 816-419-3704 or email him at abhaynes@ctcis.net. The Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation is a non-profit organization.
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