Juneteenth events in Macon-Bibb: Where to find them, what to do this weekend
The Juneteenth Freedom Festival marks its 32nd year in Macon Saturday at Tattnall Square Park, but more is happening this year in commemoration of the date used to mark freedom for Blacks at the end of the Civil War.
There’s also more to the Juneteenth story than the events themselves.
First, here’s an overview of events. Further details are at juneteenthmacon.com including ticketing for some events.
Wednesday: Black history van tours began with tours starting at 6:30 p.m.
Friday: The 19th annual Real Talk Hip Hop Summit is at the Douglass Theatre focusing on women in hip-hop. Workshops are from 10 a.m. until noon and this year’s concert begins at 7 p.m. Workshops are free and include topics like hip-hop knowledge, DJ skills, emcee/rap, breakin’ and more. There’s a charge for the concert.
Saturday: The Juneteenth Freedom Festival from 1 to 9 p.m. is at Tattnall Square Park, 1155 College St., with food and family fun, including Black Union Soldier reenactors and entertainment from the Divine Nine Showcase, Ajile Axam’s Total Dance, African and modern dance, All Star Macon Music and jazz, blues, hip hop and other musical styles.
Sunday: The Juneteenth Freedom Festival continues at Tattnall Square Park from 3 to 9 p.m., featuring Grammy award-winning jazz great David Sanchez at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: The second annual Juneteenth Macon Parade from 3 to 5 p.m. is downtown on Cherry Street.
Monday-Thursday: Real Talk Hip Hop Arts in the Neighborhoods Tour with free interactive educational sessions now being scheduled. See the website or call 714-866-8052 for the latest information.
“Our history is so rich and deep and worth highlighting,” said George Fadil Muhammad, co-founder of Juneteenth Macon and program director for Torchlight Academy and Kwanzaa Cultural Access Center.
Muhammad wants this year’s commemorations and celebrations to mark the historical event and serve as a learning experience.
“There’s so much to uncover and draw attention to from those early days and through Reconstruction, the Jim Crow era, segregation, the Civil Rights movement to modern times,” he said. “For example, so much was achieved but so little is known today about the amazing accomplishments of people and our Black institutions that rose during Reconstruction and Jim Crow times.
“Those times provided the motivation and energy to form a tremendous number of clinics, hospitals, institutions of learning and businesses. Our ancestors accomplished so much through tremendous grit, character and wisdom but there are so few who realize it now when we need it to be inspiring us.”
Muhammad is sharing history through the Macon Juneteenth website. It features a Black History Tour webpage, where he gathered information and photographs on people and places significant to Macon’s history. Another is the “Did You Know,” page where documents, photos and quotes are presented.
Muhammad also mentioned a related project he’s involved with, a video series on Macon’s racial history called “Refounding Macon.” It’s produced by Mercer University’s Beloved Community Initiative, along with And So We Go Productions. Currently, four videos are available to view on the Beloved Community YouTube page and the Beloved Community Initiative website.
Juneteenth live tours were already available Wednesday and at other times by appointment.
While Juneteenth events focus on Black history, Muhammad said the “freedom” referred to in the Freedom Festival name and other events is for the whole Macon community and all the smaller communities within.
“It’s absolutely for the whole community and everyone can benefit from it,” he said. “Whatever your relationship to the history of Macon is, whether your ancestors were enslaved, enslavers or just on the sidelines as part of society, or if they were immigrants who came here and experienced oppressions such as Latinos and even the Irish, or if they were Native – whoever they were, each of us now has an important connection and duty to understand them and grasp as much as we can from them.
“We need to see what Juneteenth connects us to. We can be inspired and grow in terms of ourselves and our morals and respect for others. Juneteenth epitomizes coming to freedom for all people. And Juneteenth helps bring healing.”
Other activities in Macon this weekend
Among other things to get out and about for this weekend, the Otis Redding Foundation’s Otis Summer Camp Finale concert is Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Grand Opera House. The concert showcases singers, musicians, songwriters and others participating in the annual summer camp. It’s free, but a $10 donation is requested.
Also this weekend and through June, Macon Pride marks Pride Month with fundraising events for the organization’s extensive local celebrations and festival in September. This Saturday at the Capitol Theatre, “Macon Pride: Georgia Icons” features some of Georgia’s most iconic drag performers. Macon dineOUT + shopOUT is June 26, when local restaurants and businesses team up to fundraise for Macon Pride. June 27 is Macon Bacon Pride Night. Information on these and more is at facebook.com/maconpride.
Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.
