A Joyful Juneteenth Celebration in Ottumwa
And an old white guy grumbles that Juneteenth "inconvenienced" him in nearby Knoxville
From left to right, Rachelle Chase, author of Creating the Black Utopia of Buxton, Pastor Diane Koger, Ottumwa Mayor Rick Johnson, Dr. Jeff Hendred, and Beathricia Wilcoxon.
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When I learned that my friend and fellow Iowa Writers Collaborative member Rachelle Chase was going to be the “Mistress of Ceremonies” and provide “history moments” at Ottumwa’s "Unity in the Community" Juneteenth Celebration on June 19th, I knew I had to be there.
Another friend and Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Member Doug Burns and I had agreed to meet at the event at 1:00 p.m. One of the best things coming out of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative is the culture Julie Gammack, the founder created. We all support each other when we can, whether we are authors, subscribers, or whatever. We are a team.
I arrived early and spoke with Rachelle, other organizers, and people in the crowd and at booths.
I learned that we would be treated to performances of the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre's Buxton production, the Acholi African Dancers, the Ottumwa Community Choir, the Marshallese Community Choir, and much more. The promotional material about the event promised a day filled with unity, education, entertainment, music, history, fellowship, and cultural celebration.
It delivered in every way.
For me, the event was framed by a column about Juneteenth and its importance that was written by Rachelle.
In her column, she shared a quote from author Annette Gordon-Reed’s book, On Juneteenth.
June 19, 1865, shortened to “Juneteenth,” was the day that enslaved African Americans in Texas were told that slavery had ended, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed, and just over two months after Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox. Despite the formal surrender, the Confederate Army had continued to fight on in Texas until mid-May.
While there is much to be proud of when we consider our history, my heart breaks reading this. My heart breaks about slavery. My heart breaks about so much of United States history, yet everything about the Juneteenth celebration…was joyful. Some people think June 19, 1865, is ancient history. It’s not. Theoretically, one can walk down the street and shake the hand of a person who shook the hand of a person who was freed that day. We are only two or three handshakes away from the original Juneteenth.
In a celebration of Juneteenth on June 10, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris noted: “Across our nation, we witness a full-on attack on hard-fought, hard-won freedoms and rights, including the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body; the freedom to be who you are and love who you love openly and with pride; the freedom from fear of bigotry and hate; the freedom to learn and acknowledge our nation’s true and full history; and the freedom that unlocks all others: the freedom to vote.”
Mayor Johnson read a proclamation about the holiday, and then Dr. Jeff Hendred (above) read the full Emancipation Proclamation. Those assembled hung on every word.
A man walked toward me in a “Be Like Buxton” t-shirt, and as we started to pass, we nodded and smiled at each other, and he said, “I know you!” He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him. It was Dartanyan Brown, the songwriter, musician, writer, and all-around Renaissance man! I’ve admired Dartanyan’s work since forever, but we had never met in person. He’s also a member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. You can subscribe to his column here and check out his Juneteenth report. After a brief conversation, Dartanyan headed off to sing and play for the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre's Buxton production, but we became instant friends. Here are some photos of the production which he played and sang for. It was lovely.
Buxton, Iowa was a coal mining town in Monroe County. It was founded by Consolidation Coal Company in 1900 and when the company recruited miners they didn’t discriminate by race. Buxton became Iowa's first fully integrated town and the community thrived until the coal ran out. Rachelle wrote the book"Creating the Black Utopia of Buxton Iowa".
Monica Leo is the Managing Director and Lead Puppeteer of the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theater Company. Dartanyan’s grandmother lived in Buxton, and I nearly teared up when Monica and Dartanyan talked about the puppet that represented Dartanyan’s grandmother.
Doug Burns arrived during the first performance of the puppets, and shortly after so did our friend Jen Sinkler with Progress Iowa. George Kranovich, soon to be with the Lanon Baccam campaign, Democratic candidate for Iowa’s third district also arrived. Doug, Jen, George and I weren’t working as part of the celebration, so we had time to have some wonderful discussions about organizing to save our democracy, our public schools, our healthcare rights, and other freedoms as they are under assault by Republicans.
Kids loved riding the “caterpillar!” I enjoyed seeing so many kids having fun.
The Marshallese Community Choir sang beautifully.
It was great to see my friend Dr. Anita Fleming-Rife, President of the Black Children Development Institute of Des Moines. Anita and I have driven together to the Okoboji Writers Retreat for the past couple of years. If you ever go on a long car ride, go with Anita if you can. She’s an amazing conversationalist. Two words—Deep Wisdom.
I felt a warm hand on my arm behind me, and it was Dartanyan, and he took a “selfie” of us (l), as he did with our friend Doug Burns (r). Check out their columns. Remarkable work.
I wandered home in the late afternoon, honored to have taken part in the Ottumwa Juneteenth celebration. Thanks to all of my friends new and old. I’ll be back next year.
Rachelle Chase, Musician J.P. Jones, and Pastor Diane Koger.
Rachelle told me that J.P.’s music brought an excellent end to the day. I would have loved to have been there, but it was past my bedtime…
The next day I was in Knoxville at a sandwich shop. I placed my order and stood in line at the back like we do until our name is called and we get our order. An acquaintance wandered up and started talking to me. It was small talk, and I nodded and listened, my mind elsewhere. I’ve never had much of a conversation with him, probably because of the MAGA hat he wears on occasion and his mind-numbing hypocritical right-wing white “Christian” nationalist views. But then he said:
“I went to the bank yesterday and it was closed! I guess B-B-B-Biden gave Blacks their own stupid holiday, har, har, har…”
I felt like I had been slapped across the face, and I lost it. In my head anyway.
I took a deep breath, and slowly turned to him, my eyelids narrowing. The hair on the back of my neck stood up.
I growled, “It’s called ‘JUNETEENTH.”
His eyes widened, his face scrunched up, and he took a step back.
“Do you know why we celebrate Juneteenth?” I asked, my eyes boring into his.
He snorted and said “no…” like he didn’t care.
“Because it took two years and two months after the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves for slaves in Texas to learn they were free. Can you imagine, all those decades in slavery and when you are freed, and you have to wait over two years to learn you are free because stupid Texans wanted to hold onto slavery? Can you imagine the outrage? Aren’t you pissed off? Shouldn’t that day be something WE ALL celebrate and honor, and you are pissed you couldn’t go to the bank on that important day? Fuck that.”
He mumbled something about how Trump was better than Biden on X, Y, and Z, and I was having nothing of it and told him so.
All he had was shallow Fox News talking points and lies, and I rebutted them one by one and he soon realized he didn’t know anything except maybe that he’s a fool.
And then I said, “Name one thing Christian about the Republican party today.”
He couldn’t respond.
Someone handed me my sandwich and we went our separate ways.
My only regret was that I didn’t call him out for making fun of Biden’s stutter. What an ass.
I didn’t feel good after that conversation. I never feel good after a conversation like that, so I avoid them. But this one was different in a way I’ve never felt before. I felt what I did was the right thing to do. That it was an important thing to do. And that I had to do it. I couldn’t not do it. I couldn’t let him diminish Juneteenth.
You know what I felt too? I felt strong.
I felt strong because during the conversation I knew Rachelle was standing to my right, and Dartanyan to my left. Pastor Diane, Mayor Johnson, Dr. Jeff, and Beathricia, J.P., Doug, Monica, Dr. Anita, Jen and George were all there with me. The Marshallese Community Choir, the puppeteers, the Acholi African Dancers, the Ottumwa Community Choir, every kid on the caterpillar, and every vendor and attendee were there with me.
As was everyone I ever loved or who loved me, our country, our democracy. Annie, Asa, Johanna, Matt and Pat, my sisters, my Mom and Dad, long gone. Jerry, Steve, Pastors Steve and Sophie, Chris, Nik, Julie and Richard, Suzanna, Laura, Dave, Art, Randy, Fern and Joe, Kathie, Dana, Pat, Tar, Ray, Wini, Jane, John, Chuck, Larry, Mary, Ed, Jason, Teresa, Jason, Louise, Megan, Susan, Jan, Cheryl, Sheila, Cindy, and so many more—you know who you are—sorry if I forgot someone!
And so if you ever find yourselves in a similar position, or in any situation where you need to defend our pluralistic nation, democracy, the true history of our country, and our freedoms?
We are there beside you. Each and every one of us are there with you. Never forget.
I think I may have derived some of my strength during that uncomfortable moment from a video that came up in my Instagram feed of Dr. Maya Angelou a couple of weeks ago. It was called “Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.”
Among her beautiful words are:
One of the things I do when I step up on the stage, when I stand up to translate, when I go to teach my classes when I go to direct a movie I bring everyone who has ever been kind to me—black, white, Asian, native American, gay, straight, everybody I say come with me and we are going on the stage come with me I need you now. They all did, you see, so I don’t ever feel I have no help.
That’s how I felt when I stepped up on that stage at the sandwich shop. Everyone with me. And we are forever together on stage with you as we fight. And you with us.
I saw this on Twitter the other day from Will Stancil, who is running for a seat in the Minnesota house.
I am well and truly tired of the style of politics that says conservatives are allowed to abuse, bully, and threaten, but all liberals are allowed to do is apologize or empathize. They’re threatening OUR welfare, OUR way of life. They’re the aggressor. We can defend ourselves.
Let’s do it.
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