Dallas, TX

Juneteenth in Dallas: Residents reflect on history of the holiday in the ‘big city’

Published

2 years ago

June 18, 2023

Juneteenth in Dallas: Residents reflect on history of the holiday in the ‘big city’

Sheniqua Cummings says her earliest recollections of Juneteenth in Dallas are from when she was a child in the 1970s. Music, dancing and good food — her grandmother’s chicken and dumplings were her favorite.

Some of her most vivid memories are of the family discussions and banter as dinner winded down. Relatives would peruse photo albums and tell stories about family history. She learned elders’ names, what they did for a living and about their successes in life.

“I think it’s important not to forget the struggle and sacrifices of a people who are a generation of survivors,” Cummings said. “They lived through centuries of bondage, so I appreciate their struggle and I want to be part of the remembrance for them. I want to preserve their history; the events, people and the places.”

For many Black Dallas residents, the celebration of freedom and liberty associated with Juneteenth existed well before President Joe Biden signed legislation making it a federal holiday. And some historians, including those in Dallas, say the story of Juneteenth cannot be told without discussing African Americans’ persistence in the fight for their freedom.

Deborah Hopes, president of Remembering Black Dallas, said these oral histories are vital to preserving those memories. Family-taught tales of past generations’ struggles and successes were key to her as a child living in the city during segregation. She hopes as events surrounding Juneteenth grow, the tales that make the holiday so special aren’t forgotten.

“What we, as a people need to start doing is becoming more vocal about the true plight of emancipation and freedom, and truly, educate our children as to what it means to be free,” said Hopes, who helped integrate South Oak Cliff High School. “And what that emancipation truly meant for us.”

Correcting the ‘traditional narrative’

Juneteenth — the day, June 19, 1865, Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston to announce President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation more than two years earlier — has been celebrated by the Black community, especially in Texas, for more than a century.

Much of the widespread recognition of Juneteenth is credited to Fort Worth-based civil rights activist Opal Lee, who successfully pushed the federal government to designate the day a national holiday.

Largely missing from the common explanations around emancipation are the stories of those who took freedom into their own hands, said North Texas-based historian and retired university professor W. Marvin Dulaney, who serves as the deputy director of the African American Museum of Dallas.

“The traditional narrative is that they sat on their hands and waited for Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation before they became free,” Dulaney said. “There is no narrative of how they took their freedom.”

Lincoln didn’t have a strong position on ending slavery, Dulaney said, pointing to documented statements the former president made during the Civil War era.

African American Museum of Dallas deputy director and operations officer Marvin Dulaney poses for a photo at Old City Park near downtown Dallas, June 12, 2023. He took part in the The Meaning of Juneteenth: Emancipation in Texas event there.(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

During a Monday presentation at Old City Park, Dulaney gave a fuller history about events preceding Lincoln’s signing the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863, several months after he had issued a preliminary emancipation of slavery.

He explained how the increase in the number of African Americans running away from slave owners led to the Union Army adopting a policy in which former slaves were considered a “contraband” of war. Under the policy, people who escaped slavery in the South were not returned to their former oppressors.

After gaining their freedom, many served in the Union Army and fought to liberate others who were still enslaved.

“It’s one of the greatest stories that most Americans don’t know,” he said.

Looking back at celebrations in Dallas

Storyteller Gene Helmick-Richardson (right) visits with Remembering Black Lives member Demetria Glover during a tour of Old City Park near downtown Dallas, June 12, 2023. Historians talked about the history of Juneteenth and celebrations for the upcoming federal holiday during and after the tour.(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

Local genealogist and historian Donald Payton, whose family history is tied to some of the first African American slaves brought to present-day Dallas in the mid-1840s, said the first Juneteenth celebration in Dallas was in 1866.

During Monday’s event, Payton, 76, gave a tour through Old City Park and Millermore Mansion, where his ancestors were among the slaves brought to the area by the Miller family — the namesake of the historic structure. His family’s ties to Dallas go back 176 years, Payton said.

Payton recalled from his childhood how people would celebrate Juneteenth with parades, cookouts and family gatherings. Part of local celebrations was going to watch the Dallas Black Giants, an all-Black baseball team.

At the games, they would listen to what was then a relatively new genre of music: jazz. His family repeatedly went to Mexia in Limestone County, where “the whole town got up for Juneteenth,” Payton said.

Historian Donald Payton discusses the history of Dallas during a walking tour of Old City Park near downtown Dallas, June 12, 2023. He talked about the history of Dallas and Juneteenth during The Meaning of Juneteenth: Emancipation in Texas gathering before the federal holiday.(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

“All of the stores would run Juneteenth specials, all of the places down Deep Ellum would be packed with people who would come in from the country to come to Dallas to celebrate Juneteenth in the big city,” Payton said.

Although some traditions have changed over the years, Payton said Juneteenth remains a day for Black families to remind each other of the strength of previous generations, and for the country to remember the true meaning of freedom.

Hopes, now a minister who spent decades in education, said Dallas has always had Juneteenth celebrations, but the sheer number has increased. There’s also more advertising with the event, but she wants the education of the holiday to be just as prevalent. Monday’s presentations, sponsored by a host of organizations including Remembering Black Dallas, were part of a string of educational and entertaining holiday celebrations this week in the city.

Historian Donald Payton (with microphone) discusses the history of Dallas outside the old Alamo Saloon and Browder Springs Hall during a walking tour of Old City Park near downtown Dallas, June 12, 2023. He talked about the history of Dallas and Juneteenth during The Meaning of Juneteenth: Emancipation in Texas event. (Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

Tammy Derricks, president of the Five Mile Neighborhood Association, said one of her fondest memories of celebrating Juneteenth has a child in Dallas was getting to eat watermelons as a dessert treat after dinner.

As an adult, the holiday inspires her to do work in her community. She is currently trying to get historical designations for multiple parts of the Five Mile neighborhood.

It is important to remember the full history of Juneteenth and the actions of African Americans that led to the end of slavery in the U.S., but Derricks said it is equally important to preserve the history of how that freedom is tied to Black history in Dallas.

“When you come into Five Mile, it’s not just a name, it’s a history,” Derricks said. “When you think about the growth that’s going, all of these new residents who are coming to the area won’t know the history if we don’t recognize it.”

Kristy Finley (right) records historian Donald Payton who leads a walking tour of Old City Park near downtown Dallas, June 12, 2023. He talked about the history of Dallas and Juneteenth during The Meaning of Juneteenth: Emancipation in Texas event. (Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

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Dallas, TX

Dallas residents put city on notice after forcing it to waive governmental immunity

Published

1 hour ago

January 17, 2025

Press Room

Dallas residents put city on notice after forcing it to waive governmental immunity

The chair of the City Plan Commission is over his term limit, and Dallas has been put on notice.

Mike Northrup, an Old East Dallas resident and a lawyer, wrote to commissioners Thursday, citing rules in the city’s charter that set term limits for board members and commissioners.

“Your service to the City beyond your years of eligibility to do so is admirable,” Northup said in the email. “However, it is past time for you to step away from “the Horseshoe” and allow an eligible appointee to serve as a plan commissioner.”

“No one individual should be so important that his or her continued involvement puts the public’s business in jeopardy,” he said.

Northrup’s letter could have deeper implications after Dallas voters in November approved Proposition S, which waives governmental immunity and exposes the city to litigation if it violates state or local law.

Last month, Northup and a group of over 100 Dallas residents sent a letter to the City Council urging them to reappoint board and commission members who have overstayed their term, citing provisions in the city’s charter that set term limits.

“Every day that these individuals serve without authority to do so undermines the public confidence in the work product of the boards and commissions in question, and it puts that same work product at risk for invalidation,” the letter said.

It is not clear how many individuals have overstayed their terms. A city spokesperson said in December officials were in “receipt of the letter and will respond at the appropriate time.” City officials did not immediately respond to a follow-up call in May in January.

Typically, council members appoint volunteers to influential boards such as the City Plan Commission and the Park Board. The city’s charter states members who have served four consecutive two-year terms are not eligible to serve again on the same board until at least one term has elapsed.

Members serve until they are termed out or “until their successors are appointed and qualified,” the charter reads.

The December letter mentioned Shidid, who was first appointed in 2013 and has been the chair of the commission since 2019.

Shidid was appointed by council member Jaime Resendez, but the chair is picked by the mayor. Shidid did not respond to requests for comment after either the letter or the email were released.

Resendez, who appointed Shidid, told The Dallas Morning News “I will defer to the city attorneys for any legal conclusions or guidance moving forward regarding the letter.”

This year, the City Plan Commission grappled with several hot-button issues, such as Forward Dallas, the city’s updated land-use guide and the rezoning fight that has engulfed Pepper Square in North Dallas.

“What does it mean if the city’s business is led by someone that isn’t eligible to be there?” Northup said.

Northrup said he began drafting the letter following the passage of propositions S and U, which waive the city’s municipal immunity and mandate the city allocate 50% of any new revenue growth year-over-year to the police and fire pension system and other public safety initiatives.

The two propositions, Northrup said, represented “the mood of the public” and the letter supporters wanted to tell the city, “Here’s maybe a small thing to solve.”

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Dallas, TX

See what current and former players made NHL.com’s Dallas Stars quarter-century teams

Published

9 hours ago

January 17, 2025

Press Room

See what current and former players made NHL.com’s Dallas Stars quarter-century teams

The Dallas Stars have had plenty of talent don the green and black, making compiling an all-time player list difficult.

That’s just what NHL.com took a crack at, however, when they released their Dallas Stars quarter-century first and second teams.

Our Stars insider Lia Assimakopoulos was asked to submit a ballot with her choices, and we provide those selections after NHL.com’s list below.

First team

Forwards: Jamie Benn, Jere Lehtinen and Mike Modano

Defensemen: Miro Heiskanen and Sergei Zubov

Goalie: Marty Turco

Second team

Forwards: Brenden Morrow, Joe Pavelski and Tyler Seguin

Defensemen: John Klingberg and Esa Lindell

Goalie: Ed Belfour

Stars Insider Lia Assimakopoulos’ ballot

First team

Forwards: Mike Modano, Brenden Morrow and Jamie Benn

Defensemen: Sergei Zubov and Esa Lindell

Goalie: Marty Turco

Second team

Forwards: Jere Lehtinen, Tyler Seguin and Joe Pavelski

Defensemen: John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen

Goalie: Kari Lehtonen

Find more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

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Dallas, TX

Cowboys head coach tracker: Latest rumors, news and updates on candidates for Dallas

Published

17 hours ago

January 16, 2025

Press Room

Cowboys head coach tracker: Latest rumors, news and updates on candidates for Dallas

The stars shine bright in Dallas.

More often than not, it’s also how the Dallas Cowboys conduct business — the franchise searches far and wide for the biggest names in the NFL. America’s Team would have it no other way … especially in a coaching search.

After their parting of ways with Mike McCarthy, it comes as no surprise that everyone is trying to keep up with what Jerry Jones’ team will do. There’s the potential big splash (see: Colorado head coach Deion Sanders). There’s the homegrown talent, like Kellen Moore. There’s the outside-the-box pick, like Jason Witten. There’s the more conventional route, like Robert Saleh and Leslie Frazier.

The list will almost certainly grow over time as the team looks to steal headlines and, eventually, win games with their next hire. Anything goes deep in the heart of Texas, which makes for an exciting coaching search to follow.

Here’s the latest on the Cowboys’ search for a new head coach.

Cowboys head coach search rumors, news, updates

This section will be updated as interviews occur and relevant news about potential candidates becomes available.

Kellen Moore a top candidate for Cowboys’ HC

On Thursday, the Cowboys officially requested to interview Moore, the current Eagles’ offensive coordinator. He formerly held the same title in Dallas before the sides mutually agreed to part ways following the 2022 season. In the four seasons that Moore coached the offense, it finished in the top-10 three times.

Moore, undrafted out of Boise State, played for the Cowboys from 2015 to 2017 before transitioning into the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2018. He was then given the OC responsibilities from 2019 to 2022 and was a holdover from Jason Garrett’s staff to McCarthy’s.

Rapoport said Moore is considered a “top candidate” for the job and that his familiarity with the organization makes this potential partnership one to keep an eye on.

Deion Sanders would ‘almost certainly’ accept Cowboys’ job if offered

Sanders was initially believed to be a long shot, but the noise is getting too loud to ignore. Jones is reportedly enamored with the idea, according to Werder, meaning the rumors will continue to swirl until the search is over. NFL Network’s Jane Slater reported Thursday that Sanders approached Colorado’s athletic director, Rick George, on Tuesday about additional money for NIL and his staff, but was met with resistance. Sanders, who played for the Cowboys, previously said he had no interest in coaching in the NFL. That seems to have changed in recent weeks.

Robert Saleh to interview this week

Saleh, the former Jets coach, is set to interview for the Cowboys’ job this week. The former 49ers’ defensive coordinator seems likely to land a job for 2025, whether that is as a coordinator or head coach.

Cowboys request interview with Seahawks’ Leslie Frazier

Frazier is also slated to interview for the Dallas gig. He comes with plenty of experience, serving previously as the head coach in Minnesota and more recently as the Buffalo defensive coordinator before spending last season in Seattle.

Jason Witten was seen as potential heir apparent to Mike McCarthy

Witten was reportedly floated as a potential heir apparent in negotiations with McCarthy, who opted to pursue other opportunities, according to Slater. Jones thinks very highly of Witten, but it’s unclear whether he will be a head coaching candidate. The former Cowboys’ tight end doesn’t have any NFL or college coaching experience, but has been the head coach at Liberty Christian in Argyle, Texas, since 2021.