19th Annual Madison Juneteenth Day Celebration
Pause, Reflect, Prepare
Pause, Reflect, Prepare
man who is qualified — to run our country is a new day. It is a good thing. We’ve been under some mess for a while. It will be good to get out from under it.”
“ The possibility of a Black man at the helm of this great nation and the impact of that globally is just phenomenal,” Weatherby-Flowers added. “So it is time
for us to look at the climate as a new time, a new day, and a new period.”
It is also the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., perhaps the most significant figure in African American history. So it is almost
symbolic that Obama should be the Democratic nominee this year. “Barack Obama fulfills Dr. King,” Weatherby-Flowers said. “He’s being judged by the content
of his character and not by the color of his skin.”
Barack Obama’s presence will be felt during Juneteenth. The day begins at 10 a.m. at Fountain of Life hurch on Badger Road with the annual parade. A
Barack Obama contingent, replete with placards, is expected to join the parade. There will also be the 29th Infantry Brigade, a mock civil war troop, leading
the parade and an old time wagon like that which carried Dr. King’s coffin and Memphis garbage men carrying ‘I Am a Man’ signs will also be there as well as a
contingent of community groups, fire trucks and mascots.
After the parade, the activities will get under way at Penn Park under what is predicted to be sunny skies with a high in the 70s. Over the course of six hours,
things will be humming in seven tents. After opening ceremony, the Collective Work, a depiction of African American history, will start things off in the Main
Stage tent. That will be followed by performances all afternoon feature some fabulous home-grown talent including Madison’s own American Idol contestant,
Denise Jackson.
The Church Tent has a full afternoon of praise dancing, choir singing and times of prayer in that old-fashioned gospel tradition served up by Madison’s
African American churches.
The Health Tent will allow people to have their blood pressure checked as well as have diabetes and UV screenings performed. This tent is always staffed by
health care professionals from around the Madison area with up-to-date information about every health concern.
New this year is the MG&E Solar Power demonstration trailer. “I’m kind of proud of that because they are just starting to take it out to different places,” Adams
Winston said. “They chose Juneteenth and they found a place in the park because the panels have to face south.”
Also providing activities will be the Heritage Tent co-sponsored by the African Association of Madison and the Urban League of Greater Madison, the Children’s
and Teen Tents and the Old School Pavillion.
A new day is indeed coming. Obama signifies a transition on the national level, Juneteenth has also been undergoing a subtle transition as well. “We have
great committee chairs that pretty much take Annie’s vision — our vision — and have been able to run with it and make things turn out just so beautifully on that
day,” Adams Winston said. “We used to have to run around and do everything ourselves. Now when people come up to us, we can say ‘Oh, go to that tent or go
see so and so.’ It really feels good to be able to delegate. Annie and I are still in charge so to speak, but it’s nice to not have that whole day rest on just our
shoulders.”
“We have a family thing,” Weatherby-Flowers added. “We have folks who are committed like Tequila Nash, Jackie Hunt, Rev. David Smith, and Chandra
Taylor.”
And as the years begin to push past 20 years, Adams Winston and Weatherby-Flowers hope the new generation will step up to the plate in terms of leadership.
“We really hope someone catches the bug like we’ve had it, takes it and runs with it,” Adams Winston said. “We have people who have the bug, but they are
fighting it like it’s the flu.”
A new day is dawning.
A schedule of Juneteenth activities is on the back cover of this edition of The Capital City Hues.
“ The possibility of a Black man at the helm of this great nation and the impact of that globally is just phenomenal,” Weatherby-Flowers added. “So it is time
for us to look at the climate as a new time, a new day, and a new period.”
It is also the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., perhaps the most significant figure in African American history. So it is almost
symbolic that Obama should be the Democratic nominee this year. “Barack Obama fulfills Dr. King,” Weatherby-Flowers said. “He’s being judged by the content
of his character and not by the color of his skin.”
Barack Obama’s presence will be felt during Juneteenth. The day begins at 10 a.m. at Fountain of Life hurch on Badger Road with the annual parade. A
Barack Obama contingent, replete with placards, is expected to join the parade. There will also be the 29th Infantry Brigade, a mock civil war troop, leading
the parade and an old time wagon like that which carried Dr. King’s coffin and Memphis garbage men carrying ‘I Am a Man’ signs will also be there as well as a
contingent of community groups, fire trucks and mascots.
After the parade, the activities will get under way at Penn Park under what is predicted to be sunny skies with a high in the 70s. Over the course of six hours,
things will be humming in seven tents. After opening ceremony, the Collective Work, a depiction of African American history, will start things off in the Main
Stage tent. That will be followed by performances all afternoon feature some fabulous home-grown talent including Madison’s own American Idol contestant,
Denise Jackson.
The Church Tent has a full afternoon of praise dancing, choir singing and times of prayer in that old-fashioned gospel tradition served up by Madison’s
African American churches.
The Health Tent will allow people to have their blood pressure checked as well as have diabetes and UV screenings performed. This tent is always staffed by
health care professionals from around the Madison area with up-to-date information about every health concern.
New this year is the MG&E Solar Power demonstration trailer. “I’m kind of proud of that because they are just starting to take it out to different places,” Adams
Winston said. “They chose Juneteenth and they found a place in the park because the panels have to face south.”
Also providing activities will be the Heritage Tent co-sponsored by the African Association of Madison and the Urban League of Greater Madison, the Children’s
and Teen Tents and the Old School Pavillion.
A new day is indeed coming. Obama signifies a transition on the national level, Juneteenth has also been undergoing a subtle transition as well. “We have
great committee chairs that pretty much take Annie’s vision — our vision — and have been able to run with it and make things turn out just so beautifully on that
day,” Adams Winston said. “We used to have to run around and do everything ourselves. Now when people come up to us, we can say ‘Oh, go to that tent or go
see so and so.’ It really feels good to be able to delegate. Annie and I are still in charge so to speak, but it’s nice to not have that whole day rest on just our
shoulders.”
“We have a family thing,” Weatherby-Flowers added. “We have folks who are committed like Tequila Nash, Jackie Hunt, Rev. David Smith, and Chandra
Taylor.”
And as the years begin to push past 20 years, Adams Winston and Weatherby-Flowers hope the new generation will step up to the plate in terms of leadership.
“We really hope someone catches the bug like we’ve had it, takes it and runs with it,” Adams Winston said. “We have people who have the bug, but they are
fighting it like it’s the flu.”
A new day is dawning.
A schedule of Juneteenth activities is on the back cover of this edition of The Capital City Hues.
Mona Adams Winston (seated, in purple), Annie Weatherby-
Flowers (standing far right) and the Juneteenth Planning
“Family” welcome everyone to the Juneteenth Day
celebration on June 14.
Flowers (standing far right) and the Juneteenth Planning
“Family” welcome everyone to the Juneteenth Day
celebration on June 14.
By Jonathan Gramling
Madison’s Juneteenth Day celebration is reaching its Golden Anniversary, 19 years on
January 19th. And this year’s celebration, being held in Penn Park June 14, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., is
a special celebration for a number of reasons. It’s theme, “‘Pause, Reflect, Prepare … It’s a New
Day,’ reflects a growing positive mood in the African American community as well as a
realization that a transition in generations is occurring.
Annie Weatherby-Flowers and Mona Adams Winston, Juneteenth co-chairs since the
beginning, are particularly swept up in Barack Fever. “A new day does have something to do with
Barack Obama,” Adams Winston confided during an interview with The Capital City Hues. “He is
our Democratic candidate for President. We just feel that at this time in our life to know there is a
Madison’s Juneteenth Day celebration is reaching its Golden Anniversary, 19 years on
January 19th. And this year’s celebration, being held in Penn Park June 14, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., is
a special celebration for a number of reasons. It’s theme, “‘Pause, Reflect, Prepare … It’s a New
Day,’ reflects a growing positive mood in the African American community as well as a
realization that a transition in generations is occurring.
Annie Weatherby-Flowers and Mona Adams Winston, Juneteenth co-chairs since the
beginning, are particularly swept up in Barack Fever. “A new day does have something to do with
Barack Obama,” Adams Winston confided during an interview with The Capital City Hues. “He is
our Democratic candidate for President. We just feel that at this time in our life to know there is a