Photo by Joselyn King Siyan Lopez, a student and speech team member at WPHS, speaks during Wheeling's Juneteenth ceremony Friday in Market Plaza.

WHEELING — Commemorating Juneteenth is not just about looking back at history, but also seeing the parallels with today’s world and appreciating past sacrifices, according to local speakers.

A beautiful day Friday brought the public to Market Plaza in downtown Wheeling for a Juneteenth commemoration and celebration.

The keynote address was presented by James E. Griffin, president of the West Virginia State Association of Elks.

He explained Black slaves were freed with the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.

“There were 3 million enslaved people in Confederate states freed, yet it would take two and a half years for that order to reach Texas…,” Griffin said.

The order didn’t reach Texas until June 19, 1865, when Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger made the announcement in Galveston.

“Why the two-year delay in reaching Texas?” Griffin asked. “There are a number of ideas. One says that a messenger was killed on his way to deliver the news. Another says the news was withheld so as to maintain the slaves and forced labor. Another idea surmises the news was delayed purposely to allow a final harvest to take place.

“Whatever the reason, slavery remained in Texas until a day recognized and now celebrated as Juneteenth.”

Former West Virginia Sen. Owens Brown, D-Ohio, sees parallels between Civil War-era slave owners seeking runaway slaves and today’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers tracking down immigrants.

He explained that every time he tried to write down his thoughts on Juneteenth, a picture of men in masks chasing down an immigrant came to mind. When they catch him, they fight him to the ground, Brown said.

“This is going on across America. This is not the America I know,” he continued. “When I saw him running, all I could think about was how during slavery how we ran from slave catchers.

“ICE is modern-day slave catchers. They have bounty on people. They have a quota…”

Michael Aulick, West Liberty University theatre director, said he often thinks of stories and good storytellers and how they can make a story resonate with an audience.

“I am someone who believes great storytelling can be used for social change,” he said. “You can step into a person’s life for a moment and be forever changed.

“That happens because great stories allow us to see the world through someone else’s eyes. And in doing so, it expands our understanding of each other.”

Unique Murphy, Communities In Schools site director at Wheeling Park High School, told those present she could never fathom what “it must have been like to be someone else’s property.”

“To be considered an object rather than a person…,” she continued. “To be blatantly and publicly discriminated against, segregated and ostracized, to be taunted, hunted, beaten and hanged all because of the color of their skin.”

She said she is “fatigued” from everyday challenges she faces when assisting young Black girls, whether it be finding cute hairstyles, a stylist who works on Black hair or outfits shown online on Caucasian models that may work differently on Black women.

She added she is also “fatigued” when she has to sit in a room full of people “who don’t look like me, or especially mindful of my tone of voice because it can be overly aggressive or ghetto.”

But there is also so much greatness in being Black. This is because there is so much joy and creativity in Black culture, she added.

“Being Black is such an underrated blessing,” Murphy said.

Siyan Lopez, a student and speech team member at WPHS, agreed there is much joy, music and even hairstyles in Black culture.

“During times when someone is doubting you, remember someone fought for you. Remember the sacrifices that were made,” she said.

More Juneteenth events are set to take place Saturday:

— From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be a rhythm and blues brunch at the Wheeling Artisan Center. This southern-style brunch will feature games, trivia and music by DJ Kaz.

— Beginning at 1:30 p.m., there will be a new interpretive sign dedication on Chapline Street at the corner of Lane 7 near 1025 Chapline St.

— At 2 p.m., there will be a tour of the Pythian Building, 1025 Chapline St.