For Glynis Johns, the symbolism of Juneteenth has become about more than celebrating the freedom of formerly enslaved people in the United States.
"I think a lot of times we feel bound to like invisible constraints. And I think that's kind of what Juneteenth illuminates," she said. "Sometimes people are held in bondage in a lot of ways, and we have to liberate ourselves and our brothers and sisters, and liberate our brothers and sisters all across the diaspora in every corner of the planet.”
Johns is founder and CEO of the Black Scranton Project. The nonprofit held its sixth annual Juneteenth Jubilee Block Party outside of its Center for Arts and Culture on Main and Market streets in North Scranton. People of all ages roller skated while a DJ spun jams. Vendors from around the region set up throughout the center’s parking lot.
'Positive, fun, uplifting holiday'
Johns began the Black Scranton Project six years ago. The project’s first ever Juneteenth Brunch was in 2019. The next month she found out that the organization was approved to be a nonprofit.
A year later, her mission became more important than ever.
"When 2020 rolled around, it just seemed really important to celebrate Black culture, community. And I think that Juneteenth is such a positive, fun, uplifting holiday that I wish more people embraced, and so I just wanted to bring it to Scranton," she said.
The Jubilee started that June.
“It was the pandemic. It was the Black Lives Matter movement after the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and I just wanted to do a protest in joy and love,” she said. “I wanted to speak to my community and say … ‘Hey, we can come together ourselves, and we are not a violent people.’ If anything, we bring the vibes, we bring the love, we bring the excitement and the music. And I'm like, 'Look at all the things that we have to love and be proud of in our city.'”
Juneteenth dates back to the Emancipation Proclamation. The declaration was issued by President Abraham Lincoln in January 1863, almost two years into the Civil War. The proclamation said that all persons held as slaves in the rebellious Confederate states were free.
That news didn’t reach Gavelston, Texas, until June 19, 1865 — two months after the Civil War ended.
"Everyone has been kind of celebrating that moment ever since,” said Johns.
Jennifer Powell and her children, Zuri and Hasani, sold J&M Delights inside the center for arts and culture.
They make cookies that are vegan and free from gluten, soy, dye, eggs and nuts.
"It was inspired by my son,” she said, adding Hasani has food allergies.
The M in J&M is for Powell’s partner, Mike.
"I'm Black, he's white, he's of a different generation, and there was no reason for us to connect other than our kids," she said. "So we thought, how can we come together and still be our individual selves?”
The cookies can be shared by everybody regardless of most allergies or diet. Chocolate chip is their main flavor but they also make white hot chocolate and "raisin the bar." The cookies come sharable in little compact cardboard boxes.
This is the first year that J&M has been a vendor at the Jubilee.
Powell said Black people were never slaves, rather they were enslaved then empowered.
"It's great to celebrate this, but it's also great to unite the differences. There are so many different types of cultures, people, and it's important to come together as one while still being the individuals that we are," she said.
Johanna Renee is studying for her masters at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. She attended the jubilee both for school and personally.
She grew up in Union, New Jersey, and feels like there’s a lack of diversity in Scranton compared to her hometown. The jubilee reminds her of Union.
For her, the holiday is about celebrating Black History.
"It's not like something to stay woke about. I think it's just like something that we should actually like respect," she said.
The 'big three'
Johns said each year the nonprofit tries new things.
On Friday, they’ll host a Black Scranton Punkfest from noon to 6 p.m.
"That is because artists reached out to me and were like 'Hey, we're alternative punk rock artists like we would love to just like vibe out with you guys. We should create our own Afro punk of sorts,'" she said. "And I said, 'Let's do it.'”
They’re also hosting a Juneteenth Church Service at Bethel AME on North Washington Avenue on Sunday.
“I'm excited to try some new things, celebrate Juneteenth and just kind of really bring into the fold Black culture and Black tradition," she said.
Johns has big plans for Juneteenth. She wants it to be part of what she called "the big three” celebrations in Scranton.
"We know the big two. We know the Italian Festival, we know the St. Paddy's Day parade … And I think we're gonna make it there one day,” she said.
