In honor of Juneteenth this Friday, which commemorates the emancipation of slavery in the United States, there will be a silent candelight vigil at the Sojourner Truth statue in Florence from 8 to 9 p.m.
Ashley Anderson, a 24-year-old Springfield resident and member of the Sojourner Truth Memorial Committee, which is organizing the event, said the committee was formed in 1992 partially in response to police brutality against African-Americans.
The committee’s formation came in the wake of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. The riots were sparked by the aquittals of four Los Angeles policemen — three of them white — who were videotaped violently beating King, a black construction worker.
“Rodney King had encouraged the founders of the Sojourner Truth Committee to create the organization and bring a light on Sojourner Truth, who once lived in Florence around the area where the statue is,” Anderson said.
Juneteenth is the oldest holiday commemorating the ending of slavery. On June 19, 1865 enslaved people in Texas and Louisiana learned that slavery had ended when Union soldiers arrived in the states and read the Emancipation Proclamation to them, said Peter Ives, a former minister of First Churches in Northampton for 22 years and a member of the committee.
The current climate of widespread protests of police brutality in response to the killing of George Floyd shows that “a lot has not changed,” since the 19th century when Sojourner Truth was an abolitionist and human rights activist, Anderson said.
Although she thinks there hasn’t been enough progress when it comes to equal rights and protections under the law for African Americans, Anderson said she’s heartened by the widespread protests taking place across the country and world.
“I feel like we, as American citizens, are ready for the next step, which is past protest to finally honor the black diasporans and their blood sacrifice,” Anderson said. “When I say sacrifice, I mean the blood shed in regards to the systematic racism.”
She added that she expects at least a hundred participants at the silent vigil. Attendees are encouraged to wear masks and social distance at least six feet apart from one another.
“I will be reading the history of Juneteenth as well as showing respect to our ancestors; African American and black diasporans through talking about the history as well as reading the names of those killed by systematic racism — George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Kendrick Johnson,” Anderson said.
Chris Goudreau can be reached at cgoudreau@gazettenet.com.