On June 21st, the Network for Social Justice and community partners welcomed over 60 people to Mill Pond to celebrate Juneteenth! The event began with a community reading of the Frederick Douglass speech, “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” Following the community reading, the Network was excited to welcome back to Winchester Frederick Douglass, as portrayed by historical interpreter, actor, and poet Nathan Richardson. As Douglass, Richardson gave a presentation in-character on the life of Douglass, performing parts of the speech “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” and providing us with the context in which this speech was first given. Following this presentation Richardson as Douglass opened up for a Question and Answer period.
Don’t worry if you weren’t able to attend the event in-person! WinCAM was there to record it, and the recording will be available for viewing online. The Network would like to thank all of our community co-sponsors: the Winchester Historical Society, the Winchester Cultural Council, WinCAM, the Winchester Community Music School, Wright-Locke Farm, Winchester Chamber of Commerce, the Mystic Valley NAACP, the Winchester Unitarian Society, the Winchester Coalition for a Safer Community, Shir Tikvah, FAN, Crawford Memorial Church, and the Parish of the Epiphany.