| African American culture. "Even when you are in slavery, you are inventing," Mogaka emphasized. "Even while you are in slavery, you are creating. Even while you are in slavery, you are searching for and working hard to maintain your humanity. These are just wonderful things." And it is that propensity to strive for the positive that drives the theme of this year's celebration, "At the Crossroads, We Choose Hope Over Despair." There have been many things to despair about in Madison. "I found out when I was in the UW-Arboretum that the land used to be owned by a Black man," Mogaka said. "He was shot and killed by a White man. They like to say that the man was insane and it wasn't over race. However, the family felt so threatened that they got up and left." "We're acknowledging the things that are going wrong in Wisconsin such as the incarceration of young Black men and the rising HIV/AIDS rates among African American people," Mogaka continued. "We acknowledge the things that are going wrong, we really do. And yet, we also continually have hope. Again, people who are enslaved as chattel, they had to have hope that it was going to be a better day." Some of those signs, according to Mogaka, are the election of Gwen Moore, the first African American elected to a Congressional seat in Wisconsin and the serious presidential bid of Barack Obama. With 15,000 people expected over the course of the day, Madison's Juneteenth Day celebration -- founded 18 years ago by Mona Adams Winston and Annie Weatherby who still co-chair the event -- is a perfect time for community members to celebrate and to get reacquainted. "I really do love the fact that I see people at Juneteenth I never see for the rest of the year," Mogaka said. "It's just one time of year that they are going to come through the park. You see teenagers whom you remember when they were babies and elders. It's almost like checking people out after the winter. This is the first major African American celebration and holiday after Kwanzaa." This year's celebration will feature Liberian Cultural Ambassador Juli Endee at several of the performance tents. Endee, interviewed in the April 4 edition of The Capital City Hues, spearheaded one of the peace movements that used music and culture to end Liberia's bloody civil war. The fun begins at 10 a.m. when the annual Juneteenth parade starts at Fountain of Life Church on Badger Road and travels down Park and Beld Streets before entering the festival grounds. A full day of entertainment and education can be found at the Main Stage, Heritage Tent, Children's Area, Teen Tent, Church Tent, Health Fair and the Old Skool Pavilion. There's also a basketball clinic and basketball games for young people. And don't forget that some of Madison's finest down-home cooking will be served up by several vendors. "I really, really love the Juneteenth celebration because it is a celebration of freedom," Mogaka exclaimed. "There aren't that many opportunities where African Americans in this country can celebrate a very culturally and historically specific event." Madison's Juneteenth Celebration will be held Saturday June 16, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Penn Park on the corner of Buick and Fisher Streets. Free parking is available in the Villager Mall. |
| 18th Annual Madison Juneteenth Day Celebration In the soul of its people By Jonathan Gramling |
 |
| While many people feel there is a total disconnect between the heritage of African Americans and Mother Africa, Fabu Carter Mogaka, consultant to Madison's Juneteenth celebration being held in Penn Park June 16, sees a continuity of the heritage and culture of the African continent to America. "Everything from Africa was not lost," Mogaka said during an interview with The Capital City Hues. "It was internalized. The people don't carry their culture in a suitcase. It's carried inside of them. And it evolves according to a new environment. We're the people who created jazz. It's an indigenous American music. You know those polyrhythmic beats from Africa were transported here and became jazz." Mogaka celebrates the African American propensity to turn even the harshest experience into something positive, the foundation for |
| The Juneteenth Day committee co-chaired by Mona Winston and Annie Weatherby, had been meeting since March to plan the annual celebration. |
 |