Macon-Bibb celebrates Juneteenth with first Juneteenth Parade
The Macon-Bibb community celebrated its first Juneteenth parade in downtown Macon on Monday, commemorating the historical day that marked the freedom of the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Macon-Bibb community celebrated its first Juneteenth parade in downtown Macon on Monday, commemorating the historical day that marked the freedom of the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas.
“We can’t have American history without Black history, so seeing people of other ethnicities coming out to celebrate today, it’s a wonderful feeling,”resident Paul Little II said. “It’s a wonderful experience in terms of support and encouragement.”
The parade, which served as a significant milestone in the Juneteenth festivities, featured Atlanta Falcons linebacker and Middle Georgia native Bud Dupree as its grand marshal. Dupree says he hoped the event would educate everyone, especially the youth, about the significance of Juneteenth.
“I just wanted to make sure I took advantage of the opportunity to indulge in the culture more and more,” he said. “And for the young kids–a lot of young kids don’t really dig into the meaning of Juneteenth, so I want to make sure I help create a stepping stone for everyone to dig into it.”
George Muhammad, one of the parade organizers, agreed, stressing the importance of the event in showcasing unity and the progress made as a community.
“Everybody should celebrate and be thankful and commemorate your ancestors,” Muhammad said. “Your obligation to your ancestors is paramount to do the best with your life that you can do because of the sacrifice that they made with theirs.”
This parade ended a week-long celebration of Juneteenth in Macon, which included a variety of events such as a spelling bee, Black history tours and a gala.
