Darby Township School will host its annual Juneteenth Jubilee on Tuesday, June 4.
The event will begin with a keynote by Sereena Quick, the first black woman to own a Chick-fil-A franchise in the Philadelphia region. Quick’s address is titled “My Ancestor’s Wildest Dreams: History in the Making,” and will begin at 9:15 a.m. in the DTS gym.
After the address, students will view Juneteenth murals and posters displayed throughout the school’s breezeway before heading to the recess yard for a Juneteenth Jubilee Dance Party. Each student will receive a commemorative Juneteenth button pin, bracelet, stickers, and freedom freeze pops.
Students are encouraged to wear black, green, red, or yellow in celebration of the Jubilee.
“The Juneteenth Jubilee is a wonderful tradition at Darby Township School, and one that gives our students opportunities to learn and reflect on our history in engaging ways,” said Dr. Yamil Sanchez Rivera, Superintendent of the Southeast Delco School District. “We are pleased to welcome Ms. Quick this year as she speaks to students about her journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur. We look forward to a fun and educational event on June 4.”
Leading up to the Jubilee, students have been participating in mini-lessons on the significance of the holiday, along with a school-wide poster contest. A pizza party will be held for Poster Contest winners from each grade level.
Juneteenth is celebrated each year on June 19, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. On that date in 1865, Union General Gordon Granger announced in Texas that all enslaved people were free, enforcing the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln two years earlier. Although it has been celebrated for many years, Juneteenth became an official federal holiday in 2021.