The Wheatley Historic Preservation Association held its Juneteenth celebration at Wheatley Elementary in Poplar Bluff on Monday.
The event was not only a celebration of Black independence and history but also an opportunity for those in attendance to discuss real needs in the community.
Rex Rattler, president of the historic group, introduced several keynote speakers during the program.
“For us to fail will be costly,” said Carolyn Marshall, a supervisor at Mingo Job Corps.
“It takes a lot of support to raise children. TV and social media are feeding them all kinds of things,” said Marshall. She went on to inform guests that the free opportunities offered at Job Corps are vast and are available to young people between the ages 16-24.
Some of the trade opportunities mentioned were bricklaying, forestry and carpentry, which are just a few.
“The principles and things my generations raised our kids on, have changed,” said Marshall. “It’s going to take us coming together as communities to teach our children. Our system has slacked, we have to hold them to a standard. We have to have strong families and strong mentors,” she said in closing.
Former Poplar Bluff Police Lieutenant Ralph Jefferson spoke about his experience as an officer.
“They ask the question what makes you want to be a police officer,” stated Jefferson, “The most popular answers were carrying a gun, driving a fast car and helping people.”
He went on to speak of the joy it brings him when he comes in contact with those he may have seen previously living on the wrong side of the law now leading a successful life, as it was his desire to help people with his position.
“That is a good feeling,” said Jefferson, “when you see them again and they have a family and a job and they say, ‘Hey I remembered what you said, I changed my life, I won’t go back there.’”
RT McCain, an educational instructor at Poplar Bluff’s alternative school, has taken the personal initiative to serve as a youth advocate and mentor in the area.
He took an opportunity to speak about the Juneteenth celebration held Saturday, at Bacon Park. He spoke of his appreciation to those who contributed to making this year’s event a major success with as many as 1,000 people in attendance.
Rev. Ronnie McCain spoke of the importance of God in the life of youth and families.
“God came into my life and showed me what I needed to do, his spirit is in me,” said McCain, “We have got to be examples, our children will watch us.”
Other speakers in attendance were Nikki Johnson, who is employed with probation and parole, Annie Hinton, who works with the Northside Nutritional facility, Linda Deaner, who spoke on incarceration, and Ronnie McComb, who offered information on how to become licensed in the field of barbering for free to those interested.
A quilt and other items were raffled during the event to raise money for the historic group.
A poem was recited during the celebration which summed up the reason for the celebration. National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, who is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, wrote:
“We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be.
A country that is bruised but whole,
benevolent but bold,
fierce and free.
We will not be turned around
or interrupted by intimidation,
because we know our inaction and inertia
will be the inheritance of the next generation.”