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Children and adults helped commemorate the 145th anniversary of the end of slavery at Richmond’s 14th annual Juneteenth festival at Manchester Docks yesterday.

The Elegba Folklore Society partnered with the William Byrd Community House and the Center for African American Genealogical Research Inc., along with several other organizations, to put together this year’s festival.

“The commonwealth is investing so much into programs to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War,” said Paula Royster, president and CEO of the Center for African American Genealogical Research. “There are events every month over the next five years all over the state.”

Yesterday’s Juneteenth featured Daniel Ohene Agykum, the ambassador from Ghana, as the guest speaker.

“This is an important event, with the role that Ghana played in our history. It is particularly wonderful how Elegba emphasizes the connection between Africa and America. This event gives us the opportunity to uncover history,” Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones said at City Hall before the event.

Traffic delayed Agykum from meeting with Jones. A proclamation was later given to Agykum on behalf of the mayor and the city.

“We decided that every year we should have dignitaries from African countries [as guests at Juneteenth]. We chose Ghana to be the first, because it was the first country in Africa to gain independence,” Royster said.

Next year the groups plan to bring a delegate from Angola. Royster said the first 20 slaves to arrive at the Manchester Docks were from Angola. But not all the African delegates will be from countries involved in the slave trade.

Royster, who lives in Fredericksburg, brought her children to the Juneteenth event as she has for years.

“You bring them when they are young whether they understand what it means or not. Juneteenth is a family event,” she said.

Families with young children were all over the docks. The Bright Butterflies, a group of preschoolers, performed Swahili chants and sang “We Are the World.”

“It’s good to come to just be entertained in a healthy family environment,” Royster said.

Nefta Jones of Richmond enjoyed the entertainment, but he came to hear Shawn Utsey, chairman of the African-American studies department at Virginia Commonwealth University.

“I’ve been a vendor for years at events like this. The entertainment is always nice, but the educational speakers and tours like the torch-lit walk is what I come for,” Jones said.

Priest Nana Kwabena Faheem Ashanti of Durham, N.C., was to perform the ritual of bringing up the souls of slaves who died soon after arriving to America, and sending them back to Ghana during the walk.

“In many African cultures, a soul cannot rest if the body didn’t have a proper burial. Nana Kwabena is bringing up their souls to send them back to Africa to rest,” Royster said.

Contact Althea Fung at (804) 649-6568 or
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