Valerie Boyer was born and raised in Galveston, Texas.
Years after thousands of Black Union soldiers marched into Galveston to free the remaining slaves in the state — over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation — Boyer grew up living the history.
Before she moved to Columbus in 2020 and eventually became the Ohio History Connection’s school and inclusive community programs coordinator, the Texas native was the 2012 Miss Juneteenth.
On June 19, 2025, Boyer watched as guests flooded through the doors of the Ohio History Center in a steady stream for the Ohio History Connection’s Jubilee Day Festival.
Taking a break from the event she helped organize, Boyer said she felt her life’s mission and responsibility was to tell this story of liberation.
Noting much of the history of the holiday is not taught widely in public schools, especially those outside of her hometown, most of what she knows about Juneteenth came from her family, her church and her own thirst for knowledge.
“Our folks did a beautiful job, between church and some community organizations that were a part of making sure that we knew this,” she said, referring to the holiday’s story.
Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, but Boyer said it has always been celebrated, starting prior to June 19, 1865 with the whispers among enslaved Black Americans, who waited with hope that they would soon be free.
“In the same way that Juneteenth has been celebrated before it was nationalized, it’s going to continue to be celebrated,” Boyer said.
“Truth and time has done its job.”
Boyer’s paternal grandmother, known as Mama Tex, was a part of the original organizing committee that made Juneteenth a recognized holiday in both Texas and across the United States.
“It has been celebrated for forever, but (this is) getting it recognized statewide,” Boyer said, referring to her family legacy.
“And now, it’s getting nationally recognized. So, on that first submission document, Mama Tex’s name is on there.”
Celebrating freedom through ‘maturing together’
Beginning at noon with a call-and-response opening led by Boyer, by 2:30 p.m. the Jubilee Day Festival had already welcomed over 1,000 people to engage with interactive activities and learn about the meaning of the holiday.
This included a guided tour of Civil War battle flags, a food demo and a performance by a local theater troupe, Two Scoops National Performance Art Co., among other programming.
Titled “A Matter of Conscience,” the performance represented the diverse perspectives on civil rights and racial justice between Black American leaders Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois.
Portrayed by central Ohio actors Zachery Franklin as Du Bois and Theo White as Washington, the core message of the play was learning to understand different perspectives working toward a shared goal.
“Black people are trying to let it be known that we’re not a monolith. Everybody has different thought processes and perspectives and different places of origin,” Franklin said.
“I think that really comes through with our conversation we have in the show that we do have similar goals, but just different ways to go about it.”
As Columbus resident Phil Sowell waited in the audience for the performance to begin, he said it was a blessing to be able to celebrate the holiday and recognize the past.
Noting there were other events happening throughout the community for the holiday, Sowell said he still wished he saw more people out at the museum to experience the programming.
“They have a lot of good youth here,” he said. “Their parents brought them to learn about their history and what Juneteenth means to not only the Black community, but to the world, and how we can grow and try to mature together.”
Sophia Veneziano is a Columbus Dispatch reporter supported by the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation. She may be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com. The Dispatch retains full editorial independence for all content.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio History Connection’s Juneteenth Jubilee Day Festival brings celebration of freedom
Reporting by Sophia Veneziano, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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