-David Crowder, WRGA News-
Commissioner Elaina Beeman (left) presents a proclamation for Juneteenth to NAACP President Sara Malone (center) and parade chair Jackie Jenkins (right) during Monday’s Rome City Commission meeting.
The Rome City Commission presented a proclamation for Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, during its Monday night meeting.
On June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform 250,000 enslaved people that they were free.
Rome’s annual Juneteenth Parade will be held on June 20 at 11 a.m.
Sara Malone, President of the Rome-Floyd County NAACP, noted it is free of charge for anyone who wants to participate in the parade.
“On behalf of the Rome-Floyd NAACP, we would like to thank the Rome City Commission,” she said. “Commissioner Beeman, thank you for all that you do to help the NAACP and your community. To all commissioners, you are invited to enter a float, walk, or whatever, in the parade, either collectively or individually—city manager and city clerk included. And all the visitors here are invited as well. We would love to have everyone,” she said. “We are family. We are a community, and we are family.”
Participants who need to decorate their floats are asked to arrive at 9:30 in order to be ready for the lineup at 10:45 a.m.
There is no charge to participate, but the deadline to enter is June 15.
You can download an application by going to romefloydnaacp.org.
