Juneteenth was a day for more than just celebrating the freedom of our ancestors from the chains of slavery. It was a day to honor history and to pay tribute to those who gave so much within the Dumfries community. Yesterday was more than just the changing of a street name, it was an appreciation of what Virginia’s oldest town truly is: a place where Black leaders and innovators are recognized for their service.

At Merchant’s Park it might have been an overcast day, yet the mood was anything but. It was a tribute fitting of how the latest federal holiday should have been celebrated. Looking throughout the crowd, one could see a cornucopia of cultures coming together. From elected officials to neighborhood youth, everyone wanted to see the importance of this event. It was a result of months of preparation, spearheaded by Potomac District Supervisor Andrea Bailey.

Starting off with a beautiful rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the tone was set from there. Afterwards the crowd was enlightened by learning of the Batestown community’s history by General Barry Price and Mr. Charles Reid. Bailey later presented memorial plaques to those who worked so diligently in bringing this moment together, from the historical commission to community leaders. She spoke with NBC4’s Derrick Ward about the cumulation of the unveiling.

“It’s a cumulation of acknowledging the historical properties of Batestown Road,” said Bailey. “A community that came together with African Americans and Native Americans within the Dumfries proper to make the city even more vibrant. So today, on Juneteenth it was important that we celebrate in a perfect way to acknowledge them.”

She spoke with the PW Perspective afterwards as well on what the occasion meant to her personally. “For the community, it’s necessary in the Potomac district to let the people know that they are important. So I want to get all citizens engaged and forward thinking about how we increase the relevance of the district. They have not been forgotten, the work of building a village in the district is important. Being an inner-city kid from St. Louis, I was raised by the village. This was a long time coming. The respect that the board gave to this process was phenomenal.”

“That means bringing people into the process to help understand from an educational standpoint who lives here.”

Not knowing that this would happen as Juneteenth became an official holiday, according to Bailey, “was the answer to a prayer.”