KINGSPORT — A celebration honoring Juneteenth was held at V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, offering food, entertainment and education on the history of the holiday.
Ryan Smith, with the Children of the Community, said the first year they held the celebration about 300-350 people attended. Over the next few years the location changed, but it was back at V.O. Dobbins on Saturday.
"It never should have left," Smith said. He said this location is relevant to many elders, some of whom may not be here anymore.
"This is a lot of people's roots right here," Smith said. ". . . So no better place to hold it than right here, because it brings a lot of family that lives out of town back to the community where they grew up in."
Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, and since then Kingsport has commemorated the emancipation of slavery in the U.S.
Calvin Sneed said events celebrating Juneteenth brings the entire community together.
"Not just the Black community," Sneed said. "It brings all the communities in Kingsport, all of the neighborhoods together."
He said the event unites people and gives them a reason to look into the history of the holiday. "It's a sense of togetherness," Sneed said.
Although they celebrated on Thursday, the day of the holiday, Sneed said Saturday was a good day to hold the big celebration as more people could attend.
V.O. Dobbins used to be Douglass High School, and Sneed said those who attended still get together every couple years.
"We were first grade up to 12th grade," Sneed said. "We were one of 16 African American schools in all of East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia."
Despite celebrating the liberation of "everybody," Sneed said African Americans are not all the way free yet.
"Will we ever get past the past and start moving into the future? I don't know," Sneed said. "But Juneteenth is a good way to look back at those legacies that were left to us by our ancestors . . . you can't go forward until you know where you've been."
Food and entertainment were provided and children enjoyed the splash pad in the summer heat.
The Kingsport Police Department and Kingsport Fire Department were at the event. Children had the opportunity to go into the vehicles, talk with the first responders and turn on the siren in the police car.
Click on the play button below twice
Thanks to Johnnie Mae Swagerty and Ryan Smith
for organizing this year's Juneteenth event!
More pictures to come!
