Juneteenth and Ribbon Cutting African American Cultural Garden in Cleveland June 18, 2016
The annual Juneteenth celebration was held in the African American Cultural Garden in Cleveland on June 18, 2016.
The event was special because it included the ribbon-cutting and dedication of Phase 1 of the African American Cultural Garden.
Plans for the African American Cultural Garden
Doorway of No Return
Carl Ewing, President of the African American Cultural Garden in Cleveland, welcomed the crowd and gave a brief history of the Garden at a Juneteenth celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony in the Garden which was first proposed in 1961 by Cleveland councilman Leo Jackson.
Carl Ewing
Reverend Emmitt Theophilus Caviness has served as Pastor of Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church in Cleveland since 1961 gave the invocation at the Juneteenth celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony in the Garden.
Reverend Emmitt Theophilus Caviness
Carl Ewing then led the singing of Lift Every Voice and Sing.
Carl Ewing
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson spoke next.
Mayor Frank Jackson
Cleveland City Councilman Kevin Conwell spoke about the Doorway of No Return.
Councilman Kevin Conwell
Dan Bickerstaff, Architect of the African American Cultural Garden in Cleveland, told of the philosophy behind the Garden.
Dan Bickerstaff, Architect of the African American Cultural Garden in Cleveland
Carl Ewing told a story about respecting the Garden at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Eugene Jordan and former Councilwoman Sabra Pierce Scott cut the ribbon for Phase 1 in the African American Garden in Cleveland.
Eugene Jordan
Eugene Jordan and former Councilwoman Sabra Pierce Scott
After the Phase 1 ceremony, the Juneteenth activities continued. First there was a Libation Ceremony.
Libation Ceremony
Then Khalid Samad recited a poem called 'In case we forget to remember', which was just recited at the funeral of Muhammad Ali in Louisville the weekend before.
