Juneteenth celebration Saturday in Higginsville

The Lafayette County Juneteenth Observance Committee recently announced its special speakers and educational exhibits for the Juneteenth Celebration, which is co-sponsored by the Mar-Saline branch of the NAACP and will include presentations by two Marshall women.

The celebration takes place Saturday, June 17, in Higginsville. The theme this year is "Juneteenth Kicks in 2006," according to a news release from the committee.

Juneteenth is the oldest celebration of the ending of slavery in the United States, according to the news release. "It honors the saga of people of African descent in the United States from slave ship to freedom," according to the news release.

Fr. Moses Berry will give the keynote address during the event's opening ceremony that will be held at the Fairground Park. The opening ceremony follows the 10 a.m. parade.

All activities and events are free and family-oriented. Berry, a priest of the Orthodox Church in America, is the curator of the Ozarks Afro-American Heritage Museum that is located in Ash Grove. He has appeared on 'Good Morning America' and on the National Geographic channel.

The Juneteenth educational exhibits, displays and presentations will be housed in the 4-H Building. The exhibit hall opens immediately following the close of the opening ceremony. Highlights will include health screenings (blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure) from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. sponsored by the Lafayette County Health Department.

Speakers will be giving presentations through out the day on the following topics:

-- 12:00 p.m.: "Stroke: When Minutes Matter," Jill Thompson, R.N., director, Lafayette County Health Department;

-- 12:30 p.m.: "Cooking Healthy and Tasty Soul Food," Lynda Johnson, R.D., nutrition and health education specialist, University of Missouri Extension;

-- 1 p.m.: "Ozarks Afro-American Heritage Museum," Fr. Moses Berry, Curator, Ash Grove;

-- 1:30 p.m.: "Black Inventors," Margaret Banty, Marshall;

-- 2 p.m.: "Pennytown, Missouri Black Settlement," Virginia Huston, Marshall;

-- 2:30 p.m.: Rose Nolen, author of "Hoe, Hambone," and "All That Jazz: African--American Tradition in Missouri," Sedalia, MO;

-- 3:00 p.m.: "Hidden In Plain View," Frances Watkins, Odessa;

-- 3:30 p.m.: "Stories R Us," with focus on African American children's literature read by Linda Smith and other volunteer readers.

For further information, contact Alvin Walker at (660) 232-4463.