DOVER ‒ The Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market and the Dover Public Library will sponsor two events in honor of Juneteenth, which is observed on June 19.
Juneteenth is a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.
The Rev. Rodney Sutton will be conducting a cooking demonstration at 5 p.m. June 18 at the Clover Cafe at the Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds in Dover during the weekly farmers market. This is the second year he has given a demonstration.
Sutton will be cooking traditional African American foods connected to Juneteenth.
Library program
A program, Juneteenth: Tin Town and Beyond, will take place at 6:30 p.m. June 29, at the Dover Public Library.
This program was put together by the library with the assistance of Colby Byrom, who invited Charlene Hunter, Catherine Kelker, James Mills, Rex Ray and Jackie Sherrell, members of First Baptist Church in Dover, to share their knowledge about the history and culture of the African American community in Tuscarawas County. Guests will have the opportunity to look at historic photographs and get a different perspective on the community of Dover through the eyes of these citizens.
Tin Town is a neighborhood on the south side of Dover where the Baptist church is located.
Several Blacks who lived in the Dover-New Philadelphia area went on to make a mark for themselves nationally. They include Penfield Tate II, the first Black mayor of Boulder, Colorado. He grew up in New Philadelphia. Monty Hunter, who grew up in the First Baptist Church, played for the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys and the St. Louis Cardinals. Cie Grant, who also grew up in the church, played for the New Orleans Saints, and Perci Garner, another person who grew up in the church, was a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians.
Clarence Reeves, a boxer known as The Alabama Kid, once lived in Dover. He boxed from 1928 to 1950 and scored 108 knockouts during his career.
Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market, Dover Public Library sponsor Juneteenth programs
Reporting by Jon Baker, The Times-Reporter / The Times-Reporter
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