Prayer, remembrance and the roots of faith and family were all part of Columbus St. Dominic Church’s third annual Juneteenth celebration. 

With a theme of “Finding Our Roots: Faith and Family,” the celebration looked back to June 19, 1865. On that date, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas finally got the official word from Union soldiers that they were now free — more than two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in all states that seceded from the Union. 

Someone combined the words “June” and “nineteenth,” and Juneteenth was born.

St. Dominic’s celebration follows a long tradition of African Americans celebrating that long-awaited freedom day. In Galveston, they began holding large public celebrations beginning in 1866 that included — much like St. Dominic’s — picnics, prayer services and gatherings to joyfully remember how freedom arrived and look ahead to true equality and justice. 

This year’s celebration at St. Dominic began with a blessing and prayers of thanksgiving for freedom led by Father Ramon Owera, pastor at St. Dominic, and praying the Our Father. It also included a special Juneteenth prayer asking God that “ … we may never tire of ensuring a flourishing life for all people, but most especially, those brothers and sisters whose growth has been stifled by the trauma of being enslaved.” 

St. Dominic’s resident chef, Michael Hostin, and some of the parish’s best cooks prepared a hearty lunch of barbecue chicken, grilled corn on the cob and an assortment of salads, fruits and desserts. 

During a roll call of all 54 African nations, attendees stood proudly as they heard the names of their countries of origin, including Ghana, Nigeria, Togo and Cameroon, which has a large community at St. Dominic. 

Genealogist Nettie Ferguson teaches how to begin the search for family roots during Columbus St. Dominic Church’s third annual Juneteenth celebration, “Finding Our Roots: Faith and Family.” Photo courtesy Juana Hostin

The highlight was a hands-on lesson on how to begin tracing your family roots from Nettie Ferguson, a trustee of the Franklin County Genealogical and Historical Society. She shared tips from her 30 years of experience using every available resource to unearth family histories.

During the celebration, parishioner Tina Moody received the Deacon Bob Neely Award for service to the parish, presented by Grace Neely, widow of the second African-American deacon ordained in the Diocese of Columbus. The late Deacon Neely served at St. Dominic for many years and embodied the spirit of faith, dedication and tireless service that the award represents.

Bishop Earl Fernandes, who attended St. Dominic’s first two Juneteenth celebrations, was unable to be there this year. He sent an eloquent letter that was read at the celebration and echoed the sentiments expressed in the Juneteenth prayer. 

“Give thanks to God for the freedom you enjoy,” he wrote, “but ask Him for the grace to use your freedom for excellence, for a more just society, for building the civilization of love, for advancing the Kingdom of Christ — a kingdom of truth, goodness and love.”

Planning is underway for next year’s Juneteenth celebration as well as spreading the word that Juneteenth is American history, which includes everyone and welcomes everyone.