In 1872, after the Freed slaves “now known as Freedmen” arrived and settled on their newly acquired land, they joined together and started celebrating the 19 th of June on these same emancipation grounds that we are enjoying today. They had no idea what they had started. Times were hard and resources were few, but they still felt they had so much to be thankful for. When the 19th of June would arrive, a family would donate a cow or a calf to be used for the bar-b-que. The men would prepare the bar-b-que, the women would prepare the sides and the deserts, and, on that day, the families would come together for a day of festivities and jubilation. It would always begin with a worship service of thanksgiving as families gathered to enjoy and celebrate their freedom. In the years to come, Juneteenth here in St. John Colony would continue to grow as more families moved into the surrounding areas.

In later years, these days long events of food, fun and laughter would include women softball games and culminate with a competitive men’s baseball game. The joy of being together and celebrating together made it so special. In later years and after integration, families started to leave rural life and make their way into the city. Farming and ranching as a way of life was being left behind as the youth of these black families that had toiled at these farmlands for so many years were finding more leisurely jobs living and working in the cities. There were still those that although they stopped farming and ranching as a way of life, and started working in the city, they maintained their residence out in the rural areas. But whether you lived in the city or in the rural area, by the time Juneteenth rolled around, all would find their way back home to these same emancipation grounds that our fore parents established. Families would come back from states

as far away as California and Alaska to reunite on this special day and this special place. As the years passed and you see all the families, the children, grandchildren, the great grandchildren of those freedmen that worked so hard and sacrificed to leave us this legacy, we knew we had to make sure that they were not forgotten. We are standing on their shoulders, so to make sure that we, or our youth never forget what our fore parents accomplished for us, we the St. John 19th Body feel that our job is to promote the education of our heritage while celebrating the significance of the 19th of June. We feel those two important facts go hand-in-hand. So, when anyone attends our 19th of June
festivities, as you are enjoying the food, friends and families, we ask that you listen to the presentations, visit the historical booths,
view the historical signage and visit the historical buildings on site, then you too will be making history.