Juneteenth Brings Bucks Together In Celebration Of History, Culture

DOYLESTOWN, PA — “I feel like celebrating," said Angela Nutter of Doylestown as she looked across the crowded Mercer Museum green on Sunday morning during Bucks County's second Juneteenth celebration. “To see everyone come together as a community, it just fills my heart. I feel wonderful.”

Nutter, who grew up in Doylestown and who helped bring the celebration to her hometown with vision and leadership, thanked the Mercer Museum for providing the grounds and support for the event; the Second Baptist Church of Doylestown, which set the tone of the celebration; the County Theater for spotlighting Juneteenth films; and Puck, which hosted Party With A Purpose to raise funds for African-American scholarships.

Nutter was joined on stage at the event by organizers Adrienne King and Kevin Leven who welcomed the crowd to the Mercer Green Sunday morning and encouraged everyone to take advantage of the day of learning and sharing culture.

Throughout the late morning and well into the afternoon, hundreds turned out for the event, which included a bustling marketplace of African American vendors, live entertainment, words of expression, food, pageantry, and talks.

From left are Kevin Leven, co-leader of the Bucks County Anti-Racism Coalition; Angela Nutter of Doylestown; Adrienne King, president, Pair Up Society, and Marjan Shirzad, COO of the Bucks County Historical Society.

Adding the word "Free" to the mural.

Juneteenth commemorates the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved people in the United States learned that they had been freed under the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1865.

"I'm grateful for this beautiful weather, which we've now had twice in a row," said Leven, co-leader of the Bucks County Anti-Racism Coalition. "And we're grateful to all of you for coming out and being here to help us celebrate our culture and our history.

"Last year I was asked, 'What does it mean to you to have Juneteenth?' I said it means letting go of the struggle for the day and having a day to celebrate," said Leven.

"This year, something else came through to me and that is ancestry," Leven continued. "It's about remembering both the struggles and the triumphs that our ancestors all had to go through for us to get to this day and to this moment, and the recognition that we, in this day, and in this moment, and at this celebration, we are living history. Don't ever forget that. We are a continuation and that continuation needs to continue.

"I hope you will have fun today. I hope you will celebrate with us," he told the gathering.

Leven encouraged everyone in attendance to contribute to a living canvas, which he helped create for the event. "That canvas is not complete until you've added your voice to it," he said. "You are free to express yourself in any way you see fit."

This year's celebration opened with an informal worship service by the Second Baptist Church of Doylestown that included performances by the Baptist Boys, the Sanctuary Choir and the Dance Ministry of the church.

Adrienne King said it was important to give the church a place of prominence in the celebration because it has been faith and hope that has kept the struggle moving forward.

"When we think about what our ancestors endured for years, they got through that because of their faith. No matter what denomination of faith it was, it was faith, it was hope that kept them going and still keeps us going today as we celebrate the triumphs, the milestones, and the steps forward, but we also still struggle in the struggle as well and we rely on our faith to do that.

"The church was a place of activism, of building our resilience. The church was a place of healing, of hope, and of endurance. We still embody that as a black community and that is why we have the church kick off the day today," said King.

King is president and founder of the Pair Up Society, a nonprofit that partners with organizations like Juneteenth, the African Diaspora Collective in Bucks County, and the Bucks County NAACP to ensure success and social justice for students and to create a sense of safety and belonging for everyone in the community.

Marjan Shirzad, COO of the Bucks County Historical Society, commended the organizers "as extraordinary human beings who have made today possible.

"Quite simply, today is about community," she said. "We are seated in the heart of the county seat of Doylestown, in the heart of Doylestown's Cultural District. Take a look around you. This is what culture looks like. Juneteenth is a celebration of all of us. And it is a celebration that we believe in.

"We are a historical society and we know that history and teaching history is important for the future and also for the present day," she continued. "We could not be happier to host this amazing, beautiful event. And we want to see this grow in programming, in culture every year."

The day's celebration included a rare opportunity to explore the Mercer Museum free of charge.

Also inside the museum, the Zeta Phi Beta Society presented "Opal Lee, Grandmother of Juneteenth," and the Peace Center led a community conversation, "From Proclamation To Juneteenth." In addition, the Bucks County NAACP showcased "Teaching of History for All: Call to Action."

On the grounds of the museum, the day was spent browsing and shopping numerous African-American vendors and community nonprofits, enjoying food, and live music provided by Shalom Mukamuri and Band and DJ Tone Arm & Dancing.

Youngsters played games and had fun creating giant bubbles while others waited in line for a balloon creation made by Levittown's Alia's Wow Balloons.

Attendees were also invited to add their words and pictures to a Juneteenth canvas created by The 2023 Juneteenth Celebration was presented by the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle, the Bucks County Anti-Racism Coalition, the Pair-Up Society and the NAACP of Bucks County.