"Juneteenth March for Justice" - Cumberland, 2020

"Juneteenth March for Justice" - Cumberland

On June 19, 2020 a March for Justice was held in Cumberland, Maryland. The march began at St. Paul’s English Lutheran Church on Washington Street and concluded with a rally at Cumberland City Hall. Two separate observers estimate the crowd at about 350+ people. The event was sponsored by Allegany County Branch 7007 of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Signs and chants included
"No Justice No Peace," "I Can’t Breath" and "We Will Not Be Silent." The event ended with a singing of "We Shall Overcome."

Those who helped organized the march and rally included Tifani Fisher and Carmen Jackson of the NAACP, Parris Ashley and Ryan Thomas. Speakers included Tifani Fisher, Robin Wynder of Frostburg State University, Cyrrah Fisher who spoke on the history of “Brownsville” in Frostburg, Maryland, Simeon Younger-El, Kenneth Watkins who gave the opening prayer, Cumberland City Councilman Eugene Frazier, musician and activist Ian Robinson and Reggie Turner of Hagerstown, Maryland.

The following article by Greg Larry appeared in the June 20, 2020 edition of the Cumberland Times-News:

Hundreds Attend Juneteenth March and Rally Downtown - On Emancipation Day, 'mix of people' and police share 'peaceful and positive messages for justice'

CUMBERLAND — Hundreds of people marched and rallied downtown Friday to advance civil rights in recognition of the Juneteenth holiday.

The event in downtown Cumberland included Black Lives Matter movement supporters and citizens protesting the deaths of African Americans during altercations with police.

Hundreds took part in Friday's March for Justice rally sponsored by Allegany County NAACP Branch 7007.

"Juneteenth is something I have always personally celebrated," said Tifani Fisher, Allegany County NAACP vice president and chairperson for the event. "But we are going to make sure, in light of what’s going on, we spread the message in the future."

Fisher estimated the crowd at between 300 and 400 with no incidents of violence. Many participants wore masks due to coronavirus concerns.

Also known as Emancipation Day, Juneteenth commemorates the lives of those held in slavery in the United States. Although President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became law on Jan. 1, 1863, it was not until 1865 that word reached Texas. On June 19, 1865, Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with the news. The first celebration took place the following year on June 19, 1866, in Texas and spread throughout the United States in following years.

The march began at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at the corner of Smallwood and Washington streets and proceeded to Cumberland City Hall where a platform was set up for guests to address the participants.

"We had a mix of people from across Allegany County come today to show their support along with the police department," Fisher said. "We came together and we marched with peaceful and positive messages for justice. I am overwhelmed by my community how loving (they’ve been) and the outpouring of support they are providing to all of us. It makes me feel good to live here and to raise my kids here."

Simeon Younger-El spoke in front of City Hall.

"You are getting a little taste of what my people have been feeling for centuries," Younger-El said. "You’re feeling a little bit of what my people go through on a daily basis. We know white people. You just don’t know us. We want equality. How can in 2020 our kids don’t know about Juneteenth?"

Younger-El also addressed relations with the police.

"You hear all this about, they want to defund the police," he said. "I don’t want to defund the police. I want to reeducate the police. We are more scared of them than they are of us. I’m not talking about all the police wearing that badge. They try to do what’s right. A lot of these police I have studied with and prayed with. There is an officer back there who taught me how to ride a motorbike. We want justice and we are asking for equality."

Much of the civil rights unrest began on May 25 with the death of George Floyd in Minnesota at the hands of police. Floyd, an African American, died during an altercation with members of the Minneapolis Police Department, which was captured on video.

Artie Lee Travis, vice president for student affairs at Frostburg State University, and Robin Wynder read a proclamation honoring Floyd. Travis said Floyd "did not die in vain."

"Stand strong for equality. Use your strength to make a difference. Remember George Floyd," Travis said. "He was large in stature and large at heart." Wynder said Floyd died crying out for his mother with his last words being, “I can’t breathe."

City Councilman Eugene Frazier participated in the march. "I think it was important for me to come down here," Frazier said. "Juneteenth celebrates the day we were set free as a people. We want to honor Juneteenth and also for the fellowship and give support and positive thoughts. It’s been a positive and civil crowd. I’m just glad the way people are behaving and talking, I believe change is going to happen."

Local activist Ellen McDaniel-Weissler attended the event.

"It’s been an inspiring day, an incredible joyous and peaceful gathering," she said. "It is a been a celebration in the memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and all the others who have suffered at the hands of police. It has been a day I wouldn’t have missed for the world. I am so proud of our NAACP for putting this together. It’s been a marvelous day."

The Cumberland Police Department worked with the event organizers.

"Police have had their eye on this to make sure everybody was safe," said McDaniel-Webster. "I know (Capt.) Chuck Ternent would be there and he wanted it to be safe and go off without a hitch and it has."

"We worked together," Ternent said. “The NAACP and organizers worked with us to help plan. We want to work with the community during these events to make sure everyone is safe. There were some rumors of trouble but they were unsubstantiated and there were no problems."

Photographs by Albert L. Feldstein