Martha Whiting-Goddard, Houston historian, speaks on early Juneteenth celebrations of 19th century

By Aria BrentAFRO Staff Writerabrent@afro.com From cookouts to parades and festivals, there are all kinds of festivities that happen every year to commemorate the special occasion of Juneteenth. And as much as the Black community loves to commune and “put a little something on the grill,” the question of how to properly honor the ancestors remains.This week, the AFRO asked, “What did the first Juneteenth celebrations look like?”Martha Whiting-Goddard is the great-granddaughter of John Henry “Jack” Yates, the founding father of Juneteenth. In 2024, she continues to tell the story of Juneteenth and how her family helped develop the holiday. (Photos courtesy of the Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park) Martha Whiting-Goddard, a historian in the Houston area with personal ties to the origins of Juneteenth, weighed in on how the ancestors celebrated their freedom and how we can pay homage to them as we continue to honor the legacy of Emancipation Day.& “They would organize a parade downtown near where they originally came in on the banks of the bayou and then they would march over to Bagby Street,” said Whiting-Goddard. “They had parades for two days. They would dress up and they always had a band. They had...