The 2021 Juneteenth Nonviolence Youth Summit Delta Financial Literacy celebrated more the remembrance of freedom and passing of a new federal holiday, but a celebration of community at the Dumas High School Saturday, June 19, 2021.
The Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, a division of the Department of Education, hosted the free afternoon event. After passing of Juneteenth as a federal law June 18, 2021. This will be first year the holiday will be celebrated as an official holiday. The holiday has been celebrated locally in Dumas since around 2010.
DuShun Scarbrough, Executive Director, organized the 2021 Juneteenth Nonviolence Youth Summit: Delta Financial Literacy Day with the goal to promote unity, promote racial harmony, multicultural diversity and social equality for all Arkansans. People of all ages attended the event. He said the response from the crowd spoke for itself, realizing that by them coming out in numbers. When someone gives up their saturday evening and they could have been everywhere else and seeing the youth coming out here doing something positive and it should be recognized. He hosted other programs in the past like a back to school program in McGehee and he plans to go to other areas of the Delta as well. He thanked the DPD, Dumas Volunteer Fire Department, the Dumas School District, Mayor Simon and volunteers who helped make the event possible.
“It has been a great program that we were happy to bring down to Dumas, Arkansas. It means a lot for the Delta Financial Literacy program that we are trying to promote and the unlimited possibilities for upcoming events here,” Scarbrough said. "I think it is particularly important, looking at it being Juneteenth and it being the first official federally made holiday as of recent. So for the first one to be done right here is Dumas, Arkansas is a monumental occasion. It speaks volumes of the historical spirit of this town and we look forward to realizing that so many African Americans have overcome insurmountable obstetricals and by seeing for that reason, but solely it was great to invest this time and production right here is Dumas, Arkansas with such a great diverse population and community."
Mayor Flora Simon presented the Commission with a framed copy of proclamation proclaiming June 19, 2021 the 2021 Juneteenth Nonviolence Youth Summit: Delta Financial Literacy Day in Dumas, Arkansas. The commission presented Simon and Dumas School District Kelvin Gragg received engraved 2021 awards of appreciated trays for helping to host the event.
The event began with a Southeast Arkansas' first "Victory Over Violence" Unity and Peace before official start of the afternoon festivities. Tiffany Pettus, executive assistant, acted at Masters of Ceremony. The she announced each speakers, awards and recited Maya Angelou's Poem “I know why the Cage Bird Sings”.
The event featured speakers, live music and entertainment, a comedy show case by commedian Nate Williams, a kid's zone, food trucks, horse back riding, a car show, Covid-19 vaccination clinic and vender booths with merchandise for sale or information. The kid zone featured bounce houses and horseback riding. The Delta Rivers Nature Center table display furs representing animals of Arkansas and an Red Tail Hawk who lives at the center after injuring its wing. The guest speakers for the event include Tawanna Gordman, cousin of the late Breonna Taylor and Selwin Jones, the uncle of the late George Floyd.
The Commission gave presented a Traveler Award to both Jones and Gordman. Dumas Resident Alyce Love received the award for oldest obituary for Jane Leach from 1962. Colonel Nate Todd received the 2021 Juneteenth MLK Patriach Ward. Kenneth Daniels, Reverend Ricky Lattimore, and Linda Weatherford received the 2021 Outstanding Volunteer Award. Crop Marketing Services received the 2021 Outstanding Business Achievement Award.
DPD Chief Keith Finch spoke saying that everyone has the chance to be part of the solution when it comes to having a safe community. He encouraged anyone interest to talk with recruiters from the DPD, Pulaski Sherriff Department and Arkansas State Police if they were interested in a career in law enforcement.
The musical performers were Rapper Dana Dane, Romeo Miller, and R&B artist King Titus. Dane worked the crowd with help of Scarbrough with crowd dancing and answering calls from Dane. King Titus and his back up dancers showed a lot of energy as he performed one his songs. The children of Scarbrough, Braxton and Kennedy, performed on stage for the first time. 7-year-old Braxton with his Michael Jackson glove, white socks with black shoes and sparkling jacket made a tribute to Black Music Month with a dance of Michael Jackson's signature moves. 8-year-old Kennedy performed a dance routine to “Monster”. DJ Chris Hamilton, who goes by DJ HamTen, played songs honoring artist from Prince, Michael Jackson, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Earth, Wind and Fire and other black artists.
Juneteenth is known as America's second Independence Day, it is a special celebration for communities around the United States. A combination of "June" and "nineteenth," Juneteenth is a holiday that recognizes when slaves were informed that they were free two years after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. On June 19,1865, two and a half years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger, rode into Galveston, Texas with news the war had ended and the slaves in Texas were now free. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.
spoke for itself, realizing that by them coming out in numbers. When someone gives up their saturday evening and they could have been everywhere else and seeing the youth coming out here doing something positive and it should be recognized. He hosted other programs in the past like a back to school program in McGehee and he plans to go to other areas of the Delta as well. He thanked the DPD, Dumas Volunteer Fire Department, the Dumas School District, Mayor Simon and volunteers who helped make the event possible.
“It has been a great program that we were happy to bring down to Dumas, Arkansas. It means a lot for the Delta Financial Literacy program that we are trying to promote and the unlimited possibilities for upcoming events here,” Scarbrough said. "I think it is particularly important, looking at it being Junetenth and it being the first official federally made holiday as of recent. So for the first one to be done right here is Dumas, Arkansas is a monumental occasion. It speaks volumes of the historical spirit of this town and we look forward to realizing that so many African Americans have overcome insurmountable obstetricals and by seeing for that reason, but solely it was great to invest this time and production right here is Dumas, Arkansas with such a great diverse population and community."
Mayor Flora Simon presented the Commission with a framed copy of proclamation proclaiming June 19, 2021 the 2021 Juneteenth Nonviolence Youth Summit: Delta Financial Literacy Day in Dumas, Arkansas. The commission presented Simon and Dumas School District Kelvin Gragg received engraved 2021 awards of appreciated trays for helping to host the event.
The event began with a Southeast Arkansas' first "Victory Over Violence" Unity and Peace before official start of the afternoon festivities. Tiffany Pettus, executive assistant, acted at Masters of Ceremony. The she announced each speakers, awards and recited Maya Angelou's Poem “I know why the Cage Bird Sings”.
The event featured speakers, live music and entertainment, a comedy show case by commedian Nate Williams, a kid's zone, food trucks, horse back riding, a car show, Covid-19 vaccination clinic and vender booths with merchandise for sale or information. The kid zone featured bounce houses andhorseback riding. The Delta Rivers Nature Center table display furs representing animals of Arkansas and an Red Tail Hawk who lives at the center after injuring its wing. The guest speakers for the event include Tawanna Gordman, cousin of the late Breonna Taylor and Selwin Jones, the uncle of the late George Floyd.
The Commission gave presented a Traveler Award to both Jones and Gordman. Dumas Resident Alyce Love received the award for oldest obituary for Jane Leach from 1962. Colonel Nate Todd received the 2021 Juneteenth MLK Patriach Ward. Kenneth Daniels, Reverend Ricky Lattimore, and Linda Weatherford receeived the 2021 Outstanding Volunteer Award. Crop Marketing Services received the 2021 Outstanding Business Achievement Award.
DPD Chief Keith Finch spoke saying that everyone has the chance to be part of the solution when it comes to having a safe community. He encouraged anyone interest to talk with recruiters from the DPD, Pulaski Sherrif Department and Arkansas State Police if they were interested in a career in law enforcement.
The musical performers were Rapper Dana Dane, Romeo Miller, and R&B artist King Titus. Dane worked the crowd with help of Scarbrough with crowd dancing and anwering calls from Dane. King Titus and his back up dancers showed a lot of energy as he performed one his songs. The children of Scarbrough, Braxton and Kennedy, performed on stage for the first time. 7-year-old Braxton with his Michael Jackson glove, white socks with black shoes and sparkling jacket made a tribute to Black Music Month with a dance of Michael Jackon's signature moves. 8-year-old Kenndy performed a dance routine to “Monster”. DJ Chris Hamilton, who goes by DJ HamTen, played songs honoring artist from Prince, Michael Jackson, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Earth, Wind and Fire and other black artists.
Juneteenth is known as America's second Independence Day, it is a special celebration for communities around the United States. A combination of "June" and "nineteenth," Juneteenth is a holiday that recognizes when slaves were informed that they were free two years after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. On June 19,1865, two and ahalf years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger, rode into Galveston, Texas with news the war had ended and the slaves in Texas were now free. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.
