SMYRNA, Del. – Music, food and cultural performances filled George C. Wright Jr. Municipal Park on Friday as many gathered for the fourth annual Juneteenth Experience in Smyrna.
The event commemorated Juneteenth, the holiday marking the day enslaved people in Texas learned they were free in 1865 — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
Founded by Dr. Corrine Upshur, the Juneteenth Experience has grown into a community tradition focused on education, cultural awareness and unity.
“I needed to have American history shared in my community in a way that everybody could embrace it,” Upshur said.
The celebration featured historical exhibits, family archival displays, community resources, local vendors, entertainment and educational opportunities. Organizers said the goal is not only to honor the past, but also to encourage meaningful conversations about history and its impact today.
For attendee Junie the Baker, education remains one of the event’s most important aspects.
“It educates people, you know, who don’t know about what happened back then and what’s happening now and the struggle we go through,” Baker said.
This year’s keynote speaker was Harold Stewart, a descendant of abolitionist Harriet Tubman. Stewart said Juneteenth celebrations help keep important parts of American history from being forgotten.
“It seems like every year things are forgotten and things like Juneteenth bring it back to the forefront,” Stewart said.
Community leaders also highlighted the event’s ability to bring people together across different backgrounds and experiences.
“When you’re out at a cultural event like Juneteenth, you get to see how different everybody is, but you get how unified they are,” said Tyeisha Grier, president of the NAACP Central Delaware Branch.
Organizers say that spirit of unity is what continues to drive the event’s growth each year. They hope attendees leave with a greater understanding of Juneteenth’s significance and a renewed commitment to supporting their communities.
