Nixon celebrates Juneteenth

Twenty-five families gathered at the Nixon Community Center for the third annual Juneteenth celebration Saturday, June 15.

One hundred and five attendees all traveled from Hondo, Gillett, Leesville, Karnes City, LaVernia, Seguin, Gonzales and even right there in Nixon.

At the celebration Rena White of Gillette was the guest speaker and read the history of Juneteenth.

“The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by the United States President Abraham Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1863, that freed the slaves of the Confederate States in rebellion against the Union. It took two years but the news of the proclamation to reach to slaves in the distant state of Texas,” White said.

The Union troops arrived into Galveston, Texas, to free 250,000 people that were held in bondage, White added.
“The arrival of Major General Gordon Granger and his troops said that the federal government would not slack until the last enslaved people in America were free,” White said.

In 2021, Juneteenth was made a federal holiday in the United States and 2024 marks the third year as a federal holiday.

“These celebrations began with church picnics, barbecues, prayer service, music, band, dances, games and other activities. And as black people migrated from Texas to other parts of the country, the Juneteenth Celebration began to spread,” White said.

Greater Joy Temple SGOIC of San Antonio catered the celebration at the community center.

The Juneteenth celebration had many awards, from oldest to youngest attendee; traveled farthest distant; and biggest family:

Traveled the farthest: Sherrika Pryor;

Oldest female: Christine Applewhite, 81;

Oldest male: Calvin Martin, 85;

Youngest: Raiden Zaine Hall, three-years old;

Biggest family: The Butler family of Nixon.