Juneteenth Culture Ball
Juneteenth, a combination of the words “June” and “Nineteenth”; is the date in 1865 that the final enslaved people of Texas were told they were free almost 2 ½ years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Juneteenth is not a Federal Holiday, but President Obama did co-sponsor legislation to make it a national holiday, unfortunately it has not yet been passed.
During the initial days of Emancipation celebrations, there were accounts of former slaves tossing their ragged garments into creeks and wearing clothing taken from their former owners.
Juneteenth celebrations were made to be almost illegal because of expanding segregation laws
Scotty Gordon of the Smart Foundation, S.M.A.R.T. (Some Men Are Really Trying), and many other initiatives, and his team created/hosted the inaugural Juneteenth Culture Ball on June 19th,2019 at oAK Atlanta. It started off as an idea that Gordon had about 3 years ago, that he just couldn’t seem to shake, and admittedly could not have executed without the perfect team consisting of the following; Young Kings Ent., GoodLife Nette, and Korey, and Lerrick from oAK Atlanta. Because he consistently studies great African-American Leaders, and aspires to be amongst those greats in conversation someday, he wanted to create something as a staple and tradition with the potential to live on well past his physical existence. Scotty envisions the Culture Ball being as big as the Met Gala. An event that would have celebrities clamoring to attend, and most importantly, he would like to see his grandchildren continue the tradition 50 years from now.
Promoted as a celebration of Black Royalty, the creators of the event prompted Atlanta locals to celebrate our culture with the same energy we do the Holidays of other cultures. Martell Cognac sponsored a cocktail hour between 7pm-9pm while a live band played to entertain guests.
As you entered the venue, each guest was given the choice between a pin of prominent activists; Malcom X, or Angela Davis from Radical Dreams (@radical_dreams_pins) on IG. ( I can’t wait to wear mine as my outfit couldn’t accommodate it that evening). You then had the opportunity to take photos in front of the step & repeat either by yourself, or with the photographer servicing the event. Everyone was encouraged to wear a crown and come as the Kings & Queens we are. People got creative, there were fascinators, head wraps, and crowns galore! There were reserved signs on the tables that read “Reserved for Queens”. Videos played in the background that celebrated every aspect of our culture; The Fresh Prince of Bel Air intro, a speech from President Obama, news breaking of Jay-Z becoming Hip-Hop’s first billionaire, etc. I have to admit I was a bit afraid that I wouldn’t know many of the songs played at the event because I don’t listen to the radio, however, the DJ was amazing. The playlist was carefully curated, and really paid homage to classic Hip Hop and R&B and even intertwined some Afrobeat. And would it really have been a true black event without all those wonderfully dressed men and women dancing to and belting out “Before I Let Go”? The piece de resistance for many was the bringing of the throne to the stage. A tall back leather chair truly fit for royalty; simply draped with a single vividly colored piece of African cloth was brought out for guests to commemorate their royal experience. Scotty was quoted as saying “The Juneteenth Culture Ball will be an annual celebration of Black Excellence and Black Royalty, that I can’t wait to watch grow”. I wonder if they will maintain the Black Royalty theme every year, or if it will change annually? Either way I know we’re all looking forward to next year. To stay in the know of everything Scotty and his team have in store, make sure to follow him on IG: @smartchangecreator.
T.Nicole
