The Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement and the Athens-Clarke County Human Relations Commission collaborated on Saturday to facilitate a flag-raising ceremony outside City Hall.
This is the third year of having a Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony in Athens. It serves as the beginning of a longer celebration of the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.
Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement leader, Mokah Johnson, led the ceremony and shared an important moment in local Black history from 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Athens-Clarke County and freed approximately 5,000 enslaved people.
“In a powerful act of celebration and hope, these emancipated slaves hoisted an American flag up the flag pole in front of Athens City Hall,” Johnson said.
The ceremony also held a libation, led by Barbara Barnett, to recognize the elders present, and for those they have lost, by chanting “ashay” after each name. “Ashay” or “ashe” is similar to “amen,” to verbally represent collective agreement. The term also empowers Black history and liberation when used at Juneteenth celebrations. In the context of using “ashay” after calling on ancestors, it means “to be with us.”
Dawn D. Bennett-Alexander is a retired professor from the University of Georgia in Employment Law and Legal Studies. She is now a part of the Athens-Clarke County Human Relations Commission. For her, Juneteenth is important for everyone to learn about and find joy in celebrating.
Bennett-Alexander explained, “People sort of self-select about what they attend. So you don’t get a lot of Black folks at what we would call white events. You don’t get a lot of white folks at what we would call Black events. The truth is it’s here for everyone, and there's something for everyone to learn, and if you don’t know about it, that’s ok…
But the thought that you’re willing to find out… ‘Alright, this isn’t a good thing to do- owning human beings.’ That’s worth celebrating. And I don’t know a lot of people, especially in a place like Athens, who wouldn't want to celebrate it. So what I’m doing is I’m giving you permission to bring your white self out here and enjoy it just like everybody else does.”
Mayor Kelly Girtz and commissioners, including Carol Meyers and Dexter Fisher, were also in attendance.
The blue and red flag, with the Juneteenth date of Independence, was raised into the air by the youth who attended the ceremony. The flag will fly until July 4th.
