Idaho Falls holds first-ever Juneteenth celebration
IDAHO FALLS (KIFI) - Wednesday saw the first-ever public Juneteenth celebration in Idaho Falls's history.
“If you know anything about African American culture,” asserted mononymed Idaho Falls music promoter Mosy, “it is soaked in music.”
That’s why the city’s African American Alliance, alongside other local non-profits, put together a musical celebration at the Colonial Theater downtown.
“Music brings everybody together,” added Pocatello-based singer Lenet Peevy Neifert, who performed several numbers at the event. “And don’t throw a little food in there. You got a real celebration going on.”
Cliff Clark, who emceed the celebration, said planning began at a bookstore about six months ago.
“We just sat and talked about what it would be like and how we could pull something like this off,” he explained.
Mosy, who booked artists and did audio work for the event, only got involved about three months ago.
“My company didn’t take this on to make money,” he said. “In fact, we’re not making money off of this. This is all about educating about Juneteenth to make sure people know how important it is to America.”
“It’s all about freedom,” Neifert said. “Being free. Even my own freedom. My own emancipation proclamation to myself. Setting myself free from some things.”
“It is not for any specific person,” Mosy added. “It is an American holiday built on unifying and recognizing American history.”
“Certainly you and I weren’t there, but it has impacted us,” Clark explained. “It has affected us. And how we interact today is still a reflection of those events.”
Local News 8 asked if Juneteenth is a holiday that should be celebrated by everybody.
“Absolutely,” Clark asserted. “Because it’s not just celebrating the African American experience and our freedom."
"Black people can’t just be singled out in this,” Neifert said. “There are all nationalities of people who were involved in wanting the freeing of slaves. So this has to be a community event.”
“It’s just magical for us,” Clark added. “And we certainly feel that we are part of something instrumental, something greater, and something that is definitely contributing to the community.”
“I promise you,” he continued, “everyone will have something that will make them say, ‘I did not know that. We’re learning something more.’ And I promise you that’s what we’ll get tonight.”
