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“We celebrate this day because we finally got the word in Texas that we were free, and that is something you have to recognize,” said Pat Peele, former Beaufort County Extension Agent. “We didn’t know when everyone else knew. But once we found out, oh my goodness. We were free Americans!”

Peele’s role as an extension agent in Beaufort County was to educate and identify specific problems and needs within the community. Work that would take her all around the county. “I worked primarily on the north side of the [Pamlico River],” said Peele. “But I became very curious and impressed with the south side of the river. The small hidden communities of Blounts Creek, Ware Creek, Aurora and others. I knew then that I needed to learn more about the history of the area and its people before I could help them. That’s when I was fortunate enough to become involved with a group headed by Thessalonia Aldridge, a local historian, and Alethia Williams, whose grandfather helped to build the Rosenwald School in Blounts Creek. They got me connected with those who lived in these small communities.”

Peele said once she met with those who lived there, she was able to assist with educating them about cultural pride and community development. She also partnered with Aldridge and Williams, who started the Juneteenth celebration at the Ware Creek Rosenwald School in Blounts Creek, which was the site of the first formally organized celebration of Juneteenth in the area, back in the early 1980s. There was music, a parade, and food. Local organizations and individuals from around the county participated. There was a true sense of community. “It gave people a reason to be proud and helped to build their confidence and take pride in themselves and their community,” said Peele.

The Rosenwald Schools were a vision of Julius Rosenwald, philanthropist and president of Sears and Roebuck, and Booker T. Washington of the Tuskegee Institute. Hailed as one of the most important initiatives to advance Black education, the schools were built specifically for African American children in the South. “Most importantly, Mr. Rosenwald didn’t just give the communities these schools; they had to be a part of it as well,” said Peele. “Their contributions, be it financial or labor, along with his, gave them a true sense of ownership and a sense of accomplishment, knowing they were helping their community have access to education. There are only a few of these schools still in existence, and they should be cherished and preserved for what they represent.”

But it didn’t stop with the Juneteenth celebration. At the end of the year, the community observed Kwanzaa, an annual celebration of the African-American culture from December 26 to January 1. “This was a time for people to look back at the year and appreciate what they had done,” said Peele. “Celebrate the harvest of fruit and vegetables, and look ahead to the coming year. But it is also a time for learning, and to look back over the year and see what they did right or wrong. Because if you don’t look back, you don’t learn to do better. As Maya Angelo said, “Once you know better, you do better.” 

Added Peele, “Juneteenth and Kwanzaa are events that give us all an opportunity to learn things about our community, its people, our history, and cultures. A lot of the folks in these small south side communities didn’t have much to brag about. But these celebrations gave them a reason to come together, celebrate their culture, their accomplishments, and leave feeling good.”