(Scotch Plains) – The communities of Scotch Plains and Fanwood gathered on Saturday, June 21st under hot and sunny skies for the eighth Juneteenth celebration at the historic Shady Rest Golf and Country Club, Scotch Plains. Juneteenth marks the 160th year since the last enslaved Americans were finally freed on June 19, 1865 in Galveston, Texas, two-and-a-half-years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring that all slaves in Confederate territory were to be freed.
During the opening ceremony, Social Justice Matters President Tashira Wheeler said this year’s theme, Harambee, “reminds us that it takes the entire village to pull together for economic, health and social equity.”
“We can be the change that we want to see in our communities. Let’s all pull together. Harambee!,” Wheeler told the crowd.
Mayors Colleen Mahr of Fanwood and Josh Losardo of Scotch Plains attended the opening ceremony along with Fanwood Councilwoman Patricia Walsh and Scotch Plains Councilwoman Elizabeth Stamler.
Mayor Losardo called Juneteenth “a day of remembrance, resilience and reflection.”
He thanked Social Justice Matters and its volunteers for organizing the event: “Scotch Plains and Fanwood are so very fortunate and our towns are blessed to have so many individuals who think beyond themselves and work to improve our communities for everyone who lives here.”
Mayor Mahr said she is “so proud of Social Justice Matters” for its growth and dedication while serving the two towns. “In many ways Scotch Plains and Fanwood are one community,” Mayor Mahr said.
She said Fanwood “strives to be a stigma-free community. We strive to make sure that everyone feels welcome. And when we see an injustice we want to be right there, which is why Social Justice Matters and the volunteers are so critically important every day.”
She said SJM has taken on the celebration of Juneteenth by treating it like their child.
Following the Mayors comments, Felton Jones and Jill Jackson Jones, who reside in the Kramer Manor community, an all-Black neighborhood established in 1924, were honored as this year’s recipients of the 2025 Social Justice Matters Freedom Award. They are also the owners of Savory Selections in Scotch Plains.
Following the opening ceremony, Juneteenth featured a full day of music by the featured bands including Jazz artist Carrie Jackson, who sang with the band Amani; the Nubian Messengers, an African percussion band infused with contemporary instrumentation; an interactive drumming workshop led by Kojo Ayinde Johnson, featuring djembe and other African drums; and a West African dance performance by Kcydiima Zahir and her dancers. Also featured was a story time with local children’s authors, and a putting contest with instruction from a member of the Shady Rest Golf Course staff.
