Juneteenth was celebrated all day Monday in Gloucester, beginning with a morning march along Main Street and ending with an afternoon spent at the First United Baptist Church in Gloucester.
Around 40 hearty individuals, under the Juneteenth banner, took part in the sweltering 2.6-mile walk along Main Street, which began and ended at the Gloucester Library at Main Street Center, with walkers treading the 1.3-mile trip to the Pocahontas statue at Belroi Road and back.
At the statue, Dr. Wesley Wilson, organizer of the march, gave an impromptu talk about the origins of Juneteenth and handed out bottles of water before the group headed back.
In the afternoon, a crowd gathered under the shade trees on the wide church lawn to hear speeches, poetry, and music; socialize; watch a dance demonstration; and visit vendor and information booths.
Brenda Dixon, president of the Gloucester NAACP, welcomed those present; the Rev. E. Randolph Graham gave the invocation, musician Andre Billups played sev...