Annual Service Marks End of Slavery in US

Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson after speaking at the Emancipation Day service held at the Historic New Bethel Baptist Church. The event marked the 148th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. (Photo: Abayomi Azikiwe), a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Annual Service Marks End of Slavery in U.S.

Published: 1/02

Local clergy and the community showed up Monday for an event to recognize the abolishment of slavery in the United States. The service is one of the longest running African American community's celebrations in the Valley.

"We're Better Together" was the theme for this year's Emancipation Proclamation service at Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church in Youngstown. The event recognizes the signing by President Abraham Lincoln of the document that abolished slavery in the United States.

Organizers said the service is mainly about remembering, and never forgetting.

"So we wanna keep this alive by doing this every year to remind us of what took place long ago. And remind our young people of the struggle and the struggle is that we're not truly emancipated even as yet. But we wanna be reminded of what happened and how we can build on that," said Rev. Rosalyne Mitchell-Martin, president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Youngstown.

Rev. William Bunton of the Mount Olive Kingdom Church Partnership in Akron was the keynote speaker. Local pastor Rev. Lewis Macklin II, pastor of Holy Trinity Baptist Church, received the Elizabeth Powell Heritage award for community service.

"It's just natural. It's part of me. The community has often supported me and allowed me to do the type of things I do. And so i consider it just reasonable service," Macklin said.

Area residents who came out said the event is one of great significance.

"It means a whole lot to me. It's when we got freed and our forefathers, they blessed this day for us so that we will have a right to vote and we have a right to different freedoms and different things we can do," said Rosabelle Thompson of Youngstown.

The service also commissioned officers of faith in various community organizations like the NAACP and the Urban League.

"There's plenty of work for all of us to do, but we need to do it together. Like the slogan, 'we are better together,'" said Rev. Rosalyne Mitchell-Martin.