Atlanta Black history museum celebrates Juneteenth legacy
Atlanta Black history leader says erasing the past is impossible
The APEX Museum, recognized as Georgia's first Black history museum, hosted a Juneteenth celebration to honor African American culture and the global message of freedom.
ATLANTA - The APEX Museum in downtown Atlanta celebrated Juneteenth on Friday by honoring the historical legacy of freedom and showcasing the birthplace of a global communication effort.
What we know:
The APEX Museum, recognized as Georgia's first Black history museum, hosted a Juneteenth celebration to honor African American culture and the global message of freedom. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, when the last enslaved people learned they were free.
This realization occurred two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared all enslaved people in Confederate states legally free.
As part of the Friday event, the museum saluted Dr. Opal Lee, known as the grandmother of Juneteenth, with a new Broadway musical put together by Walter Bland Jr.
The backstory:
Museum representative Byron C. Saunders explained that Juneteenth represents an essential chapter of American history, stating, "Ultimately, this is our Independence Day."
Saunders connected the holiday's significance to Atlanta's role as the birthplace of the civil rights movement, specifically pointing to the dense heritage found on Sweet Auburn Avenue.
Saunders described the famous stretch, noting, "On Sweet Auburn Avenue, from one end to the other end. You got Martin’s house, the Social Center, the Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Atlanta Daily World, the Civil Rights Museum, the Auburn Avenue Library. This is our Black Wall Street."
What they're saying:
Saunders pushed back against recent political developments and public anxieties regarding the restriction of diverse narratives in classrooms and public spaces.
When asked if it is possible to erase Black history, Saunders responded firmly, stating it is "Impossible."
Saunders further emphasized the universal significance of the day, stating, "It’s not just a Black holiday, it’s a global holiday where every country celebrates the freedom from slavery."
He added that the ongoing historical preservation is "celebrating African American culture, not only here in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s a global communication effort."
What we don't know:
Museum officials did not specify the total number of attendees at the Friday musical performance.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a broadcast report by Larry Spruill in downtown Atlanta, who toured the facilities at the APEX Museum, captured event details from a musical presentation honoring Dr. Opal Lee, and interviewed museum representative Byron C. Saunders.