The Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities were among many which celebrated Juneteenth this weekend. Held for the first time as a federal holiday, one of the local events was a motorcade through historic Black communities in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
On Saturday afternoon, residents lined their cars up – decorated with posters, balloons, and streamers to celebrate the Juneteenth spirit. They drove two routes through historic Black communities in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
Cars lined up for the Hargraves Community Juneteenth Motorcade.
The Eubanks route started at the Eubanks Road Park & Ride and went through the Rogers Road neighborhood. The Hargraves route began at the Hargraves Community Center and went through the Northside neighborhood.
Last year, Chapel Hill and Carrboro recognized Juneteenth as a holiday but because of the COVID-19 pandemic no major gatherings were held.
John French worked on the Juneteenth Motorcade committee and was the supervisor for the Hargraves Park route. He said some of the inspirations for this year’s motorcade was to hold an event which followed public health guidelines and celebrated history.
“All of the neighborhoods are mostly predominantly Black neighborhoods that have some historical significance to Chapel Hill,” French said. “We’re just hoping that everybody [will] enjoy themselves and learn a little bit more about the African American history here.”
Debby Stroman, a UNC professor and Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP member, drove in the motorcade and decorated her car with balloons and streamers. She said she believes the drive through is an example of how Chapel Hill and Carrboro “do community.”
“I’m hoping it becomes another opportunity for us to do our homework and to learn about the full history of Blacks in this country,” Stroman said. “I think it’s also another opportunity for us to engage and do a lot of fun things with family and friends.”
Delores Bailey is the executive director of the nonprofit EmPOWERment. She said a major change of Juneteenth is President Biden signing it into a federal holiday. Bailey said she hopes more people now understand the history behind it.
“For it to be a national holiday now it represents African Americans in the United States,” Bailey said. “It’s like our Fourth of July. It is a holiday that we will celebrate and have been celebrating, but now nationally it will be recognized. It is amazing.”
French echoed Bailey’s sentiment on Juneteenth being recognized as a federal holiday.
“I think it’s very encouraging especially it showed the progress we’re making as a country as a whole,” French said. “It also showed how forward-thinking the Town of Chapel Hill was to make it a holiday even before the federal government made it a holiday.”
For more events celebrating Juneteenth in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, visit our photo gallery of the holiday.
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