From Unmarked Graves to Unshakable Joy: Juneteenth in Full
Opinion
If you’ve never heard of Juneteenth, no guilt trip—we got you. June 19, 1865, is the day Union troops finally made it to Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved Black people: “Hey y’all… turns out you’ve been free for two years. Our bad.” Picture Amazon Prime rolling up two years late with your Emancipation Proclamation—no tracking info, no apology, just surprise, you’re free. That’s the vibe.
Fast-forward to now, and Lexington is doing Juneteenth with style, spirit, and plenty of soul. Freedom, music, and melanin-powered joy are officially in the air as the festivities kick off today. Whether you’re coming for the culture, the cookout, or just to hear Daitrell drop some wisdom between verses, Lexington’s Juneteenth celebration isn’t waiting around. The beat’s already dropped, the grills are heating up, and if you haven’t figured out what you’re wearing yet… you better grab something red, black, and celebratory real quick.
Daitrell, a local performer who lives by the motto “Be Dazzled. Be Dope. Be You,” will give a live performance that promises to feel less like a concert and more like a liberation sermon with a beat drop. Children will dance, elders will nod from folding chairs beneath wide-brimmed hats, and fans will wave as church programs double as both cool-down tools and pocket-sized history lessons. And yes—because some traditions are sacred—somebody’s cousin will be out in the yard this weekend with a fish plate wrapped in foil, yelling “hot and ready” like they’re running a drive-thru. Because freedom might be free, but the sides still cost $8-$12.
But Juneteenth in Davidson County isn’t just one day—it’s a full weekend, and then some. Also today, a powerful and long-overdue moment of remembrance will take place at the Lexington City Cemetery on North State Street. At 6 p.m., the community is invited to a Historical Site Dedication honoring the memory of enslaved people buried in unmarked graves before the Civil War.
The stone marker, now standing at the site, recognizes those who were denied dignity in death—individuals laid to rest without ceremony, names, or acknowledgment. Today's dedication is not a performance or a festival; it's an act of restoration. A reckoning. A reminder. As names are spoken, stories reclaimed, and flowers placed, the community gathers not just to honor the dead, but to affirm that they are no longer invisible. The freedom we celebrate becomes deeper, more honest, when we remember those who were once buried in silence.
And on Saturday, June 21, the celebration keeps rolling into Thomasville, where Councilman Jacquez Johnson is hosting Trailride Thomasville at Pace Park. From 4 to 9 p.m., the event promises live music, food trucks, cowboy boots, and Southern pride. The tagline says it best: “Hats On. Boots Down. History in the Making.” It’s more than a party—it’s another chapter in the ongoing story of liberation, told with rhythm, food, and deep roots.
Still, not everyone will celebrate. For some, Juneteenth brings up more questions than answers—about what freedom really looks like, what justice still demands, and how much work remains. The holiday hasn’t always been recognized, especially here in the South. In fact, for many in Davidson County, this may be their first time hearing about it or seeing it honored publicly. And that’s okay. Recognition takes time. Celebration takes community. And healing—well, that takes honesty and space.
Yes, Juneteenth is now a federal holiday. Are most people in Davidson County celebrating? It’s where joy shows up wrapped in tradition, where music speaks louder than politics, and where remembering our past doesn’t stop us from dancing toward the future. Whether you’re waving a flag, laying a flower, or still figuring out how to feel, Juneteenth in Lexington—and now Thomasville—is more than a moment. It’s a movement, dressed in Sunday best, hat in hand, then two-stepping into a future our ancestors only dreamed of.
