11 hours ago
Juneteenth celebration to honor local event founder Wilma Newton
Thursday's Juneteenth celebration at Elliott Park will include a remembrance of the event's founder, Wilma Newton, an organizer says.
The celebration will be noon to 4 p.m. Thursday.
Newton, longtime president of the Oklahoma Juneteenth Memorial Foundation, died April 7. She presented annual Juneteenth Celebrations at Elliott Park for at least 10 years before it became a national holiday.
Event organizer Dedric McBride said Thursday's celebration will include a memorial service 'to honor an amazing woman.'
'It is important for us to honor someone who gave 35 years or better for the community,' McBride said. 'It wasn't just about Juneteenth. It was more about helping others. We want to continue that legacy and we want people to know her name will not be forgotten.'
Newton was pastor of Kingdom Living Church. She opened the church as a warming shelter during snowstorms.
McBride said there will be speakers at Thursday's service.
'Then we will go ahead with the festivities,' McBride said. 'We're still giving out dinners and everything else.'
The dinners include free hotdogs, hamburgers, soft drinks and water. There also will be music.
A Juneteenth celebration will be 2 to 6 p.m. at Rotary Park. It will include a dance workshop, music, vendors and water balloons.
