PEACE DALE, R.I. — Peace Dale Congregational Church for the second consecutive year is urging citizens across South County — regardless of religious affiliation — to join with churches in ringing bells on Saturday to commemorate the end of slavery in America.
Pastor Fred Evenson of PDCC, in conjunction with the South County Clergy Association, is marking the celebration of “Juneteenth.”
Recent debates about racism prompted him to want to use bell ringing to get people’s attention to preventing discrimination and violence against African-Americans, he said.
It is especially important to mark this on a day, he said, recognizing that the United States 155 years ago established a national policy against one egregious form — slavery — of discrimination against African-Americans. That first step led to many others, especially in the 1960s, to counteract racism, discrimination and bigotry.
On June 19, 1865, enslaved African-Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free. Now, 155 years later, people in cities and towns across the U.S. continue to mark the occasion with celebrations. It has been celebrated by African-Americans since the late 1800s.
“Let’s all stand united with our sisters and brothers of color this Juneteenth,” he said, by ringing church bells at 8 p.m. on Saturday. He said he is opening the church for anyone to attend a gathering at PDCC.
“Ringing together, we are recognizing our progress towards racial equity thus far, while at the same time confessing that ‘perfect freedom’, that true freedom for all, still eludes us — a dream yet to be fully realized,” he said.
He said those participating in the bell ringing include Peace Dale Congregational Church, Kingston Congregational Church, Church of the Ascension, Chapel of St. John the Divine, First Church of God, St. Peter’s by the Sea, Wakefield Baptist Church, Christ United Methodist Church, St. Augustine’s Church, St. Francis of Assisi Church and Congregation Beth David in Narragansett.
“As we ring our bells, it will be one toll every 10 seconds, for nine and a half minutes in commemoration of Juneteenth, and in memory of George Floyd and many others who have perished due to their skin color,” he said.
The Black Lives Matter protest movement has sparked an ongoing dialogue around racism and police brutality, resulting in a renewed interest in Juneteenth.
“Bells make noise and we need to make noise around these issues,” Evenson said, adding that it the issue needs to be kept alive to achieve understanding.
“Working together, this truly can be, a “sweet land of liberty” for all God’s children! Let’s remember our community and let freedom ring,” he said.
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June 19, 2021 at 07:00PM
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