Video: Juneteenth Celebration In Columbus

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COLUMBUS, Miss.(WCBI)–On this Fathers Day Weekend there is also the Juneteenth Celebration, marking the announcement that came more than 150 years ago that half million slaves had received their freedom.

When our country was divided, in some cases brother fighting against brother, in a bold move on the First of January 1863, our 16th President Abraham Lincoln signed the document freeing the slaves.

“For Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation to stop war, we saved lives. And we need to cherish life, because its precious,” said Johnny Johnson/RE Hunt Museum President.

Union General Gordon Granger landed in Galveston, Texas with the news of freedom. Without the widespread use of computers, Ipad, and Iphones, communication was slow.

“The words had to come by horseback. And it took awhile so it arrived in Houston in June. It arrived in Columbus in May, in Mississippi in May and in Houston in June,” said Laverne Greene-Leech/RE Hunt Museum.

The news of emancipation reached different sections of the country at different times.

“There were people still picking cotton in the fields. Had no idea they were free,” said Laverne Greene- Leech.

“It wasn’t nothing for a Black man to pick three or 400 pounds of cotton in a day. And to use the scale and the sack we have in here today to show our children just what we had to do,” said Johnny Johnson.

“We earned it blood was shed, tears and sweat. This is our history, this is our heritage,” said Laverne Leech.

There is even an 8th of May Spring Luncheon celebration at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Columbus that serves as an annual church fundraiser.