By John J. Kriz
Local charity Stand Together Against Racism www.star-ct.org held its annual ‘Hearts of Freedom’ Juneteenth community celebration on Thursday, June 19, on the lawn of partner organization the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society www.nchistory.org
Juneteenth is a combination of two words: June and Nineteenth. The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on New Year’s Day, 1863, declared that “all persons held as slaves … shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” However, the Civil War was still being waged, and “persons held as slaves” in places still under Confederate control remained enslaved. On June 19, 1865, Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, the westernmost state in the Confederacy, and announced that the more that 250,000 enslaved black people in the state were free.
President Joseph Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021.
S.T.A.R. founder Fatou Niang opened the celebration, remarking, “It’s wonderful to see so many of you here ready to honor this important day together. Today we gather to commemorate Juneteenth, a powerful reminder of freedom, resilience and journey toward justice and equality for all. This celebration is a testament to the strength and unity of our community.” After thanking attendees “for your passion and commitment to building a more inclusive world,” she charged everyone to let this “memorable and inspiring afternoon be the start of a great journey for you.”
Two food trucks — Thelma’s Soul Food www.thelmassoulfood.com offering Soul food with a twist of Caribbean flavor, and Twentynine Markle www.29marklect.com offering an eclectic cuisine, with everything from poutine to ribs to Korean fried chicken, made by Chef Damon Sawyer – ably fed attendees. There were games for children and picnics on the lawn.
New Canaan Police Officers Roy Adams and Nicole Vartuli raised the American flag, with the red, black and green Juneteenth flag below it. Ms. Niang and New Canaan High School graduating senior Susanna Rittenberry, who received the charity’s S.T.A.R. Award, given to those who advocate for other students and stand in the face of injustice, looked on. The “Star Spangled Banner” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” were sung. This latter song is often referred to as the Black National Anthem.
S.T.A.R.’s mission “is to equip residents of New Canaan, CT and neighboring communities with tools and resources to understand systemic racism — including its history, root causes and the structures that perpetuate it— and to proactively advocate for racial equity and bias elimination. We believe that by working together, we can drive transformative and sustainable social change in our community and beyond.” It seeks to achieve this mission through education, community outreach, and advocacy and policy.
S.T.A.R. sponsors and has sponsored a range of activities, including a monthly youth social justice book group that meets at New Canaan Library www.newcanaanlibrary.org Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month events, film screenings, lectures, an annual ‘Through Your Looking Glass’ Social Justice Youth Art Showcase, and a food drive.
Music
Music was provided the ‘Misfits,’ a group of musicians and friends who have played at every one of S.T.A.R.’s Juneteenth celebrations. They all serve in the music ministry at Norwalk’s Calvary Baptist Church www.calvarynorwalk.org a sister church to New Canaan’s Community Baptist Church www.cbcnewcanaan.org Said bandmember Lorenda Robinson, who attended New Canaan Country School, “it’s always our pleasure to be here and to participate in a wonderful event. And especially in New Canaan.” She went on to say, “It’s cool to be here under this context, and at this time, and to have people here for such a unifying moment.”
Creating Art
The creation of a community artwork was among New Canaan’s Juneteenth events. Led by artist, muralist and graphic designer Lauren Clayton of Stamford’s Studio 162 www.studio162.com the goal was to “create a piece that could be contributed by other members of the community,” she says. The work is a composite of 24 canvases that come together and read the words: ‘It’s not just history, it’s our story.’ As the celebration continued, more and more of the canvasses were colored by attendees, many of whom were children. It’s “almost like a large coloring book,” Ms. Clayton observed. “And then at the end, all of the pieces will come together and make one piece — together.” Reflecting on her Juneteenth project, Ms. Clayton remarked, “the minute you can create a piece of artwork that’s collective is always something really special.”
The finished work will be kept by S.T.A.R. and used as an art exhibition at its events.
Town Proclamation
In recognition of the importance of Juneteenth in the New Canaan community, First Selectman Dionna Carlson issued a Proclamation declaring June 19, 2025 as Juneteenth Day in the Town of New Canaan, in which she encouraged “all citizens to join in celebrating this important day, to reflect on the meaning of freedom and justice, and to work together toward a more equitable and inclusive community.”
