Four hundred people gathered Wednesday morning at Glenview Park on East 110th Street in Glenville for a Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom sponsored by the Cleveland Catholic Diocese. The Mass included music from the Diocesan Gospel Choir and liturgical dancers from several parishes.
Sr. Jane Nesmith, director of the Office of Black Catholic Ministries for the diocese, began the celebrations with a call-and-response of “God is Good/All the time…All the time/God is good.”
“We are here to celebrate our freedom,” she declared.
Regennia N. Williams, Distinguished Scholar of African American History and Culture for the Western Reserve Historical Society, spoke about the history of Juneteenth from 1865 to the present. She also gave a shout out to her fellow graduates of East Technical High School – and her “call” got a big “response.”
The Rev. James Watson, the principal celebrant, talked about slavery that still exists, both in other parts of the world and the “slavery” of “violence, drugs, alcohol and temptation.”
He told the congregation, “The Lord calls us to be free, to follow his plan.”
He urged church members to learn about the more than 900 African saints and African American saints such as St. Thea Bowman, a Mississippi native who worked to bridge racial and cultural divisions.
‘I like to support the efforts of Black Catholic Ministries’
Attendees said this program was a great way to celebrate Juneteenth, which commemorates when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, and announced that enslaved people there were free.
Deland S.M. Whitson, a member of Communion of Saints parish in Cleveland Heights, said the celebration was worthwhile even in the heat.
“I like to support the efforts of Black Catholic Ministries,” he said while sitting in the blazing sun near a white mulberry tree that had littered the ground with its fruit. Whitson proudly explained that he is a fourth degree member of two Catholic services groups, the Knights of Columbus and of the Knights of St. Peter Claver.
Sugar Taylor, a member of St. Agnes/Our Lady of Fatima parish, performed with the liturgical dancers. She said she was happy that dance groups from other parishes rehearsed with the St. Agnes group beforehand.
“It made the performance much better,” Taylor said.
Sister Jane said that organizers were extra careful when planning the outdoor event given this week’s record heat.
“We have special tables in the shade for the elders,” she said. Older people and others affected by the heat could take their seats and volunteers would bring them their food.
The event took much planning, she said, but “it’s worth the effort.”
