Hawkinsville to honor past, serve community in observance of Juneteenth

The celebration will provide voter registration and Covid-19 vaccinations for attendees and will feature live music, food trucks, a kids zone and resource vendors.

HAWKINSVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – For the City of Hawkinsville, the Juneteenth holiday is an opportunity to learn from the past and bring people together.

Juneteenth is a holiday that celebrates the emancipation of African American slaves. The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect in January of 1863, but word didn’t reach the last of the southern states until June 19, 1865.

For the community of Hawkinsville and Pulaski County, the holiday is an opportunity for residents to learn about their history.

Juneteenth wasn’t federally recognized until 2021, which is why event organizer Mary Colson says many people still don’t know about the holiday.

“We want people to know about their history, especially our young people,” Colson said. “It’s going to be beneficial for them to know this as they get older like we are.”

The Hawkinsville Unity organization held its first Juneteenth celebration in 2022 but had already been working to uplift the community in years prior.

The committee began bringing resources to residents in 2020 by helping them register to vote. In 2021, they added Covid-19 vaccinations to their efforts. Once Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday, committee members realized they could combine the three community events into one celebration.

President and CEO of the Hawkinsville-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, Tyler Bryant, says the Juneteenth celebration is significant because history impacts everyone.

“History is not always the good, it’s also the bad, and it’s also the ugly,” he said. “Fortunately with Juneteenth, it kind of combines all of those things. We have people who come to these events and want to learn more about what that event means and what it means for the future of our country.”

The celebration will include live entertainers, food trucks, games, a kid’s zone and resource vendors. 

Notable Hawkinsville natives Charles Johnson, formerly of the Carolina Panthers, and Henry County Commissioner Vivian Thomas will also be featured as guest speakers. Educational activities include a panel discussion from community elders and a seminar on interacting with law enforcement.

Organizer Bernice Banks says this year’s celebration will be bigger and better than the last. Her goal is that the celebration will strengthen the bond between all members of the Hawkinsville-Pulaski community.

“My hope is twofold: One is to raise awareness of Juneteenth and its significance to the African American people,” Banks said. “The other is to create a sense of unity.”

Hawkinsville Juneteenth is free to the public and all are welcomed to attend. The event will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday with a parade that will begin at St. Thomas A.M.E. Church and make its way to James A. Colson Park for the opening ceremony. Celebrations will resume at 1 p.m. on Sunday for Father’s Day.