By KENNEDY GRIFFIN
(Franklin County, MA) Franklin County celebrated Juneteenth with events in Greenfield and Deerfield on Sunday, June 19th. Greenfield held its first Annual Juneteenth Cultural and Youth Event in Energy Park Sunday. The event was organized by Human Rights Commissioner Mpress Bennu and Moving Mountains and Advocacy for Black-Owned Businesses.
There was a special guest, Representative Bud L. Williams, along with speakers Traci Talbert, of the Racial Justice Community Engagement, and Greenfield Mayor Roxann Wedegartner. The event was held at Energy Park in Greenfield and included free food vendors, entertainment, and tables from community organizations like Service Net, Salasin Project, and Franklin Co-op.
Deerfield’s concert at the First Church of Deerfield was organized by Historic Deerfield Inc. and featured music from “Songs of Slavery and Emancipation.”