Juneteenth event to be held at farmers market in Dover

The Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market and the Dover Public Library will sponsor a program on Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 19 at 3:30 p.m. in the Clover Cafe at the Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds in Dover.

Educator, community leader, activist and past president of the Tuscarawas County NAACP, Bill Walker will provide a presentation on Juneteenth and why it is important to national identity.

A federal holiday, Juneteenth celebrates the ending of slavery in America. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger landed in Galveston, Texas and took control of the state, declaring all slaves were free. Juneteenth is considered to be the longest-running African American holiday in the United States.

The program also will feature a period of conversation and dialogue with those in attendance. Following the presentation, Rodney Sutton from Sutton’s Taste of Heaven will present a cooking demonstration at 5 p.m. that will include samples for participants. Featured food will include barbecued ribs, fried chicken, collard greens with smoked turkey, fried green tomatoes and watermelon.

For more information or to register, call the library at 330-343-6123 or visit www.doverlibrary.org.