Local Trailblazers Honored at Tallahassee's 2014 Emancipation Proclamation--AE
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Vol. 40, No. 22 Section 01 Tallahassee, Florida May 29 -June 4, 2014 www.capitaloutlook.com 50 cents “Thank You To All of Our Military Personnel! Happy Memorial Day!” Local Trailblazers Honored at Tallahassee’s 2014 Emancipation Proclamation By Aldranon English II Outlook Staff Writer The Negro Na- tional Anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” resounded throughout the gen- eral room of the Governor’s Club as several individu- als assembled for a grand night of com- memoration and camaraderie for the 2014 Emancipation Celebration pre- sented by the Beth- el Empowerment Foundation Inc. The reception was orchestrated to honor and rec- ognize civil rights trailblazers from the Tallahassee com- munity. Rev. R.B. Holmes, founder of the Bethel Empow- erment Foundation Inc. and pastoral leader of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, expounded on the event. “We join Florid- ians this year on May 20 to mark the anniversary of the day in 1865 when Union General Ed- ward McCook an- nounced from the steps of his head- quarters in central Tallahassee that President Abraham Lincoln had ended slavery in Florida under the terms of the Emancipation Proclamation,” said Holmes. Holmes also ex- plained the purpose of the reception as it pertained to the many guests that were present. “We are delighted to recognize and honor Bethel’s Civ- il Rights legacy and Tallahassee trail- blazers. These ex- traordinary people, past and present, inspire us with their ingenuity, vision, fortitude, integrity and humanity. We joyfully celebrate their individual, collective and his- torical work,” said Holmes. Among the hon- orees included Al- themese Barnes, Judge Joseph Hatchett, Eva B. Manning, Mayor John Marks, City Manager Anita B. Favors and Eva Wanton. Music se- lections were pro- vided by vocalists Photos by Aldranon English II Honorees gathered for a group photograph at the Emancipation Proclamation ceremony. Recipients Althemese Barnes and Judge Hatchett spoke during the reception. see LOCAL, page 2
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Transcript of Local Trailblazers Honored at Tallahassee's 2014 Emancipation Proclamation--AE
Vol. 40, No. 22 Section 01 Tallahassee, Florida May 29 -June 4, 2014
www.capitaloutlook.com50 cents
“Thank You To All of Our Military Personnel! Happy Memorial Day!”
Local Trailblazers Honored at Tallahassee’s 2014 Emancipation Proclamation
By Aldranon English II
Outlook Staff Writer
The Negro Na-tional Anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” resounded throughout the gen-eral room of the Governor’s Club as several individu-als assembled for a grand night of com-memoration and
camaraderie for the 2014 Emancipation Celebration pre-sented by the Beth-el Empowerment Foundation Inc.
The reception was orchestrated to honor and rec-ognize civil rights trailblazers from the Tallahassee com-munity. Rev. R.B. Holmes, founder of the Bethel Empow-
erment Foundation Inc. and pastoral leader of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, expounded on the event.
“We join Florid-ians this year on May 20 to mark the anniversary of the day in 1865 when Union General Ed-ward McCook an-nounced from the steps of his head-
quarters in central Tallahassee that President Abraham Lincoln had ended slavery in Florida under the terms of the Emancipation Proclamation,” said Holmes.
Holmes also ex-plained the purpose of the reception as it pertained to the many guests that were present.
“We are delighted to recognize and honor Bethel’s Civ-il Rights legacy and Tallahassee trail-blazers. These ex-traordinary people, past and present, inspire us with their ingenuity, vision, fortitude, integrity and humanity. We joyfully celebrate their individual, collective and his-torical work,” said
Holmes.
Among the hon-orees included Al-themese Barnes, Judge Joseph Hatchett, Eva B. Manning, Mayor John Marks, City Manager Anita B. Favors and Eva Wanton. Music se-lections were pro-vided by vocalists
Photos by Aldranon English IIHonorees gathered for a group photograph at the Emancipation Proclamation ceremony. Recipients Althemese Barnes and Judge Hatchett spoke during the reception.
see LOCAL, page 2
www.capitaloutlook.com Capital Outlook May 29 - June 4, 2014 2
Arnett Ward and Marcia Osborne. A few of the special guests were invited to speak at the cer-emony, including Bob Gabordi, ex-ecutive editor of the Tallahassee Demo-crat.
“This moment is etched in history,”
said Gabordi. “This tribute is a story we will keep in our mind and hearts for-ever.”
“All of you being recognized tonight can consider your-selves as trailblaz-ers; a generation of firsts,” said Bethel E m p o w e r m e n t Foundation’s Chair-woman Elaine Bry-
ant. Bryant quoted several individuals from history and the civil rights era including Freder-ick Douglass, So-journer Truth and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Joseph Hatchett, the first black elect-ed to the Florida Supreme Court, ad-vised every genera-
tion how imperative it is to protect their rights.
“We celebrate now, but we must remember to go back out and partic-ipate,” said Hatch-ett. “What is good now doesn’t always stay good: be sure to get up and vote for your rights, otherwise you will
wake up and won’t have any.”
Each participant at the ceremony was recognized individually for their contributions to history. They were all presented an award for their achievements and following the ser-vice asked to take a group photograph.
“We are a bet-ter community be-cause of you all that we are honoring this evening,” said Holmes. “We thank each and every one of you who have made tremendous sacrifices for the privileges we enjoy today.”
LOCAL CONTI-
