Juneteenth

Union soldier reads the Emancipation Proclamation to a room of slaves

“I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free;”

When President Abraham Lincoln set his hand to these words on New Year’s Day 1863 he forever altered the fabric of American life.  Signing of the Emancipation Proclamation was the lead story in national and local newspapers all over America.  However, it would be June 19, 1865 more than two years, before the slaves in Galveston, Texas learned about the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Join us as we commemorate June 19, 1865 the day our enslaved ancestors in Galveston, Texas received word of their freedom.  Our Juneteenth celebration is a time to reflect on what Chaplain Allen Allensworth and the other families were able to accomplish.

Come enjoy the live entertainment on stage.  Watch the video presentation “Allensworth: A Piece of the World” in the visitor center.  Go shopping in the vendor area, and tour the historic homes and businesses.

When: Saturday, June 9, 2012

Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Where: Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park

Cost:  $6.00 per car

For more information or to request a vendor application contact Friends of Allensworth President Thomas Stratton at 855-645-1255 or tomten@pacbell.net.

Stephen Hill, Sr.

EMMY Award Nomination

The news story “Allensworth: Una Histiria, Una Realidad!” has been nominated for a Northern California Area EMMY Award.  The specialty assignment report by David Ibarr of KFTV is a story about Patricia Martinez and the daily challenges of raising her 5 children in Allensworth.

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) awards the EMMY “for outstanding achievement in television.”  According to the NATAS website “San Francisco/Northern California is one of the twenty chapters awarding regional EMMY statuettes.”

The EMMY awards ceremony is at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square on Saturday, June 9^th at 7pm. You can watch the 41^st Annual Northern California Area EMMY Award show live on the NATAS website. You can also see “Allensworth: Una Historia, Una Realidad!” on their website.

Stephen Hill, Sr.

Film Festival Favorite

This Saturday judges will select the winners of the ninth-annual Slick Rock Student Film Festival, a competition for South San Joaquin Valley 6-12^th grade students. According to a Visalia Times-Delta article “Colonel Allensworth State Park,” a documentary filmed at the 2011 Rededication is one of Choices editor, James Ward’s favorite entries.    The documentary by, Violet Heintz Education Academy students, Henry Castenada-Martinez and Troy Blueford won the Senior Division of the “Picturethe Valley Film Festival” last November.

The Visalia Fox Theater will host the free screening of the top 100 entries from 9am to 4pm this Saturday. At 7pm the winning films will be announced during an Academy Awards style ceremony.

Stephen Hill, Sr.