Juneteenth Celebration Planned For Freehold's Court St. School

FREEHOLD, NJ — The community is invited to a Juneteenth celebration Saturday at the Court Street School Education Community Center, featuring the unveiling of a life-size mural with special significance for the center.

The celebration is June 17, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the center at 140 Court St. in Freehold.

The event will open with the ceremonial “ringing of the bell” and a dedication of the Fellowship Flag by boxing champion and center Board of Trustees member Imamu Mayfield, said Trustees President Trena Y. Parks.

“This program is intended to unite the entire community in education around the important history surrounding Juneteenth. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, but it is also a reminder of the plight of Black Americans to move forward in excellence even through adversity,” Parks said.

“African American history is American history. The mission of Court Street School Education Community Center is to keep that rich history alive," she said.

Following several readings and performances, the Rev. Gerald Bailey, MDiv/MSW/ThM, will provide the keynote talk on the topic of Black emancipation and determination, said Parks, who is the coordinator of the event.

During the program, artist Jonathan Scialabba of Jonathan J. Studio will unveil a life-size mural on the grounds of Court Street School, she said. Scialabba was commissioned to bring the story of Ruby Bridges to life along with aspects of the history of Court Street School.

In 1960, when Ruby Bridges was six years old, she became one of the first Black children to integrate New Orleans’ all white public school system, her website notes.

"Greeted by an angry mob and escorted by federal marshals, Ruby bravely crossed the threshold of this school and into history single-handedly initiating the desegregation of New Orleans’ public schools," the site says.

The mural of her story is featured on a large retaining wall on the property of Court Street School.

"The more I worked on this piece, the more the vibrant and storied history of Court Street School and the U.S. came to life,” Scialabba said.

There will be music by Joe Keyes & The Late Bloomer Band. Keyes is from Freehold, Parks said. Violinist Laticia TC Lewis will perform, as will Richard Blackwell on African drums.

Opened as a four-classroom segregated schoolhouse in 1919, the Court Street School was transformed into a community center in 1995, and was was added to the National Register of Historic Sites.

"The goal of the CSSECC is to provide relevant and engaging programming and initiatives that educate and unite the community around issues of social justice, education, and the rich history of Freehold Borough, Monmouth County, the United States, and the world," Parks said.

Juneteenth, declared a federal holiday in 2021, is observed annually on June 19 and marks the end of slavery in the United States. It has become a day for Black Americans to celebrate not only their freedom, but their history, culture and achievements.

As History.com notes, Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.