A siren sounds and the ears of the playground perk up. As a police car rounds the corner with a band close behind, the swings occupied only seconds earlier are now left vacant.
The 12th annual Juneteenth Celebration started off with a bang Saturday with parade participants including Mayor Bill Jones III, Temple Fire and Rescue, the 4th Infantry Division Band of Fort Hood and a couple truckloads of ecstatic young girls hoping to be the next Miss Juneteenth.
The celebration brought more than 1,000 people out to partake in the daylong activities, said James Jackson, vice president for the National Juneteenth Association.
Following the parade, families congregated to visit and await the official ceremony where the new queen would be announced. But before the royal court was addressed, a few youngsters dressed in black T-shirts and camo pants made a splash with the crowd.
The MC Community Youth Program was a lively accent to the parade, marching and dancing throughout the day.
Maryann Garrett, founder and director of the program, had the youth “dancing hard” during the ceremony. The Temple youth program consists of about 30 children, and Garrett is proud to keep them involved in the Juneteenth celebrations.
“It’s part of our heritage,” Garrett said. “Youth have to see what’s going on. I feel it’s something we have to do.”
LaMesa Brown of Temple passes the Juneteenth tradition down to her four children of 8, 5 and 2 years, along with a 5-month-old, and their favorite part is the parade.
“I think it’s a good thing for them to see,” Brown said. “Just to see African Americans come together to celebrate one thing.”
Brown’s 8-year-old daughter ran for Little Miss Juneteenth, but the crown went to another aspiring princess.
The moment everyone was waiting for finally arrived when Re’Kyra Sauls was crowned the 2007 Miss Juneteenth. Runner-up was Savana Ocklberry. For Little Miss Juneteenth, La’Asia Taplin took the crown, and Quentaysha Smith was runner-up.
Between the singing, dancing and crowning, families received free food and drinks, and had the chance to do some shopping. Several vendors set up shop in the parking lot hoping to sell sneakers, T-shirts, purses and even candy, a little something for every age.
The association even introduced a youth fashion show this year.
“We were just trying to come up with something for the youth,” Jackson said.
Jackson was pleased with the overall turnout of the day.
“I believe we need to not concentrate on where we are at but where we’re going,” Jackson said. “Not concentrate on slavery but on educating our youth.”
lfrase@temple-telegram.com
