LYNN — Music poured out of Lynn Museum/Lynn Arts Sunday afternoon at a joyous ceremony commemorating Juneteeth, complete with soul food, a make-your-own Juneteenth bracelet station, and local businesses selling a variety of products.
The event kicked off at 11 a.m. Sunday and ran well into the afternoon, with performers streaming on and off of the museum’s stage throughout the day. Entrants into the museum were met with vendors from local businesses and the scent of soul food, provided by Chef Brandon Bing’s “A Taste of Mae,” drifting from the right side of the museum.
Nicole McLain, the president and founder of the North Shore Juneteenth Association, which helped organize the event Sunday as well as numerous others across the region, said one of the organization’s primary goals in putting together events for the newly minted holiday is to highlight the positive aspects of Black culture.
“A lot of people don’t realize the positive aspects of Black American culture, a lot of the stereotypes paint in a light that makes us look like we’re thieves or lazy or drug dealers … whatever negative aspect of society, I think Black Americans have been synonymous with,” McLain said in a brief interview outside the event. “I just really want people to understand that … those negative connotations are not only a part of Black American culture, but they’re a part of every culture.”
“There’s always good stuff [as] a part of every culture as well — and this is our good contribution,” she said.
McLain, who started NSJA in 2016 after her son was “hazed” by police, said events like the one held Sunday help residents of the region better understand the nation’s history and the significance of the holiday, which commemorates the day in 1865 when the last slaves were freed in Texas.
“It’s so important just to make sure people are aware [of] the things that happened back then and you know that the enslaved Black Americans then celebrated and then they branched off to different places in the United States and continued to celebrate,” she said. “It’s important that we just recognize history and educate everyone about the full history of America.”
Daneeca Thurston, the director of Lynn Museum/Lynn Arts, said Sunday’s event was an opportunity to celebrate the “joy and resilience” of Black history.
“For a lot of folks Black history can be a painful history,” she said. Events like this “bring folks together in celebration.”
The event also served as a way for the museum to “remind folks we’re here,” Thurston said.
“Creating a space for vendors from the Lynn community is important,” she added. “Be conscious about where you’re spending your dollars.”
Lynn School Committee member Lenny Peña brought his wife and kids with him to Sunday’s event, which he said was an important way to celebrate the city’s minority communities.
“Juneteenth is a great way to show the diversity of our city,” he said.
Peña emphasized the importance of the community coming together “as a unit” and the inclusivity provided by letting voices be heard.
“It’s amazing to see the community come together like this,” he said. “Especially coming off COVID, the city is still trying to recover … this will help things get back to normal.”
