First Juneteenth fills Carousel Museum to capacity

Nala & Andrea perform at the Juneteenth celebration held Monday at the Carousel Museum. | David Fortier

Posted By: David Fortier June 23, 2023

By David Fortier 

The first celebration of Juneteenth drew over 200 people to the Carousel Museum and included a dramatic reading of General Orders., No. 3, bringing news of the Proclamation of Emancipation to the last American slaves to be freed, along with song and dance from several arts groups. 

“Let us move toward justice for all, and, once again, Juneteenth exists for rejoicing, reflecting and reaffirming our commitment because the blessings of freedom aren’t for all,” said master of ceremonies Courtney Watson at the conclusion of the formal program.

Watson then proceeded to invite people, young and old, onto the dance floor to continue the celebration. Children were invited to participate in arts and crafts activities. 

Members of the Queen Ann Nzinga Center perform at the first Juneteenth celebration held at the New England Carousel Museum on Monday. Included in the video is a dramatic reading of General Orders, No. 3. | David Fortier

Aside from the reading and singing by members of the Queen Ann Nzinga Center, the program included performances by the rapper Bulldog, the Woto African Dancers, Queen Ann Nzinga Center’s Ninga’s Daughters and Nala & Andrea. 

Juneteenth is celebrated to commemorate the date two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that the news reached Galveston Bay, Texas, in the form of 2,000 Union Army soldiers and Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger who read and enforced General Orders, No. 3, freeing the last enslaved Black Americans on June 19, 1865.

On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a Federal holiday after Congress passed the National Juneteenth Independence Day Act earlier the same month.

“Freedom is not free,” said Tim Camerl, president of the local NAACP chapter. “You just have to stand for freedom in America.

“We fight for it all over world, so we have to fight for it in this country, too.”

Dancers Nala & Andrea perform during the Juneteenth celebration on Monday. | David Fortier

New England Carousel Museum executive director Morgan Urgo was thrilled with the turnout. 

“The energy is so wonderful,” she said, “especially if you consider coming out of COVID.’ 

She said the original conversation for the celebration arose after the museum took part in the unveiling of the mural of Maya Angelou, Barbara Hudson and Martin Luther King Jr. on the Primo Press building across the street. 

“The museum was sort of a default by being just across the street,” she said. “It was like this community block party, people dancing and mingling and talking.” 

That is when she and Scott Rosado approached Josh Medieros, superintendent of Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services, to discuss holding a Juneteenth at the Museum. The City Arts and Culture Commision, one of the many under the purview of BPRYC, jumped on board as a sponsor.  

The event was held indoors, she said, with the idea that if the weather did not cooperate the event would go on.  

“I think next year,” said Urgo, especially with the numbers who participated, “we’re going to have to do an actual block party.” 

Members of Nginza’s Daughters dance troupe perform at Monday’s celebration. | David Fortier

Prior to the end of the program, Rosado was called to the microphone for concluding thoughts. He read Langston Hughes’s poem, “Merry-Go-Round.” The poem is fitting for both its setting, in involves a carousel, and all for its message, a hopeful one. Click here for a link to the poem. 

Throughout the gathering people who were among the first 100 to register donned colorful Juneteenth t-shirts designed by Primo Press.

In a side conversation, Rosado said he couldn’t remember a time when he had read a poem aloud in public. 

“That is unless you count fourth grade,” he added. 

Sponsors included the Bristol Park Recreation Youth and Community Services Dept., the City Arts and Culture Commission, Primo Press, Cafe Real, The Carousel Museum and the local chapter of the NAACP.

Many community organizations and several businesses had tables with information products, including the Bristol Boys and Girls Club, HRA, Bristol Health, Gordan Law, DK Movement, Afrika, Rx Crystals, Bristol’s BEST, the Bristol Diversity Council, African Heritage, Cafe Real and the Greater Bristol Chapter of the NAACP.

The official program began with greetings from Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano and Rosado, who will face off in November’s municipal election for the mayor’s seat. 

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