Librarians stepping in to register children under 5 for free monthly books has been pivotal in boosting the program’s success. An essential aspect of this success is the partnership with hospitals, as they facilitate the enrollment of newborns in the program.

Despite the program already offering two bilingual books annually, it fell short of meeting the demand. Norman highlighted the critiques from caregivers and parents, who had been vocal about the absence of bilingual materials in Delaware libraries.

“When we first launched Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, one of the first questions I got — or frankly a criticism — was that it wasn’t bilingual,” she said. “There was actually always at least two books a year that were bilingual, but they really wanted the whole program to be bilingual.”

“Delaware is in the next group of five states that are getting the bilingual option, which is super cool,” she added.

Other states benefiting from the expanded bilingual collection include Tennessee, where Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library originated, as well as Washington, D.C., North Carolina and Ohio.

The push for bilingualism began in California, where the large and diverse population made it a priority. Recognizing this need, many states advocated for the inclusion of bilingual options, too. Hence, the foundation took that need and expanded its bilingual collection beyond California, recently adding Delaware to the list.

Delaware residents can register their children for free books online or at their closest public library, choosing between two options: receiving monthly books in English with occasional bilingual English and Spanish titles, or opting for all books in a bilingual English-Spanish format.

NEWARK, Del. (CBS) — The Brandywine Valley SPCA, along with several partnering rescues, is hosting the Summer Mega Adoption Event this weekend at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, Delaware.

More than 1,000 pets will be looking for their forever homes throughout this two-day event. Dogs, cats, puppies and kittens will all be available for adoption for just $35. The animals will also be spayed or neutered, microchipped and have their current vaccinations.  

“Our Megas are an amazing experience, to see so many pets who have lost everything be chosen by families eager to give them a new life full of love,” Brandywine Valley’s CEO, Adam Lamb, said in a statement. “As the largest adoption event in the country, our goal with the size and format of our Megas is to save even more lives by reaching folks who might not otherwise consider coming to a shelter to adopt.”

Participating organizations include ACCT Philly, Animal Adoption Center (AAC) (NJ), Animal Care Shelter for Kent County (MD), Animal Rescue League of Berks County, Crossing Paths Animal Rescue (AL), Currituck County Animal Services (NC), Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center (NJ), Humane Society of Harrisburg Area and Montgomery County Animal Shelter (TX).      

The event takes place Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. but a limited number of early access Fast Passes will be available for purchase. Fast Passes give potential adopters access at 8:30 a.m., more than an hour ahead of general admission.

Adopters should bring a leash and collar for a dog adoption (also available for purchase), a carrier for a cat (cardboard carriers generously donated by Petco Love will be available), a valid ID and the adoption fee.    

This will be the BVSPCA’s sixteenth Mega Adoption Event. The first Mega took place in December 2016, and to date, BVSPCA-led Mega Adoption Events powered by Petco Love and BOBS from Skechers over the last eight years have found homes for nearly 16,000 pets.

The Bob Carpenter Center is located at 631 South College Avenue in Newark, Delaware.   

It was 1994 when a handful of organizers created the Delaware Juneteenth Association ― not just to celebrate Black history, but also armed with a mission statement to develop programming to address problems in the community.

Thirty years later, the organization is continuing to grow and hosted its largest annual event on Saturday: the Juneteenth freedom parade and festival, which drew about 3,000 people to Wilmington’s downtown and the Riverfront.

“We started with a flicker, and now we’re the keeper of the flame,” said Sylvia Lewis-Harris, one of six co-founders, led by main founder Bernie Wilkins, as she looked out at the crowd from under a tent.

Parade doubles in size

Saturday’s parade had 60 units marching down King Street from Rodney Square to the Riverfront, doubling last year’s effort celebrating the holiday, which is Wednesday. The parade ended at Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park with a six-hour festival celebration with children’s rides and music by R&B singer Christopher Williams (“I’m Dreamin’”) and The Odyssey Band.

Lines stretched down the sidewalk for the most popular food vendors, lured by the smells of whiting and catfish sandwiches from Vern’s Fish Fry and cajun crab macaroni and cheese and fried shrimp from Krys’ Soul Kreations.

The 2.4-acre Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park is named after Underground Railroad figures and abolitionists Harriet Tubman and Wilmington’s Thomas Garrett, who is believed to have helped almost 3,000 enslaved people to freedom.

“Having it here really makes it poignant,” Lewis-Harris said of the park, which began hosting the Juneteenth festival several years ago after it moved from Christina Park a few blocks away.

Juneteenth now a state of Delaware holiday

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Liberation Day, is celebrated June 19 commemorating the day in 1865 when the Emancipation Proclamation was read in Galveston, Texas, announcing all slaves in the state were free.

It came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the proclamation, which had formally freed the slaves in rebellious states. Many slave owners didn’t comply and enforcement was slow to reach Texas.

In 2020, the murder of George Floyd, who was Black, at the hands of white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, spawned widespread protest nationwide and in Delaware.

Less than a month after Floyd’s murder, Gov. John Carney announced all state offices would close in observance of Juneteenth. In 2022, it became a permanent state holiday.

A history lesson in freedom

It was the first time at the event for Charles Hayward, a longtime retired state of Delaware employee.

Hayward, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity, attended with his wife, Saundra, who was celebrating her birthday on a park bench with a cup of ice cream.

“I was raised here and wanted to come down and show support, knowing the background of the park. There’s a lot of history here,” said Hayward, now living in Brandywine Hundred.

First-year association president Styna Marisa LeCompte says Juneteenth and the celebrations around it are especially important for the younger generation.

“Nowadays with our youth, they sometimes aren’t taught history, never mind Black history,” she said. “They need to know whose shoulders they are standing on.”

JUNETEENTH IN DELAWARE: 8 must-see events that you can attend

MORE ON JUNETEENTH: Delaware’s oldest Juneteenth organization kicks off observance with flag-raising ceremony

Juneteenth observance and Delaware Juneteenth Pageant still to come

In addition to the weekend parade and festival, the association will host a Juneteenth observance service at Cornerstone Fellowship Baptist Church (20 W. Lea Blvd., Wilmington) on Wednesday at noon.

The Rev. Dr. Jesse Wendell Mapson Jr., senior pastor of the Monumental Baptist Church in Philadelphia, will be the guest preacher with music by the Rev. Justin Powell and an appearance by Miss Juneteenth Delaware Erin Hubbard Witcher.

This year’s Juneteenth events will end June 29 at 5 p.m. with the 27th annual Delaware Juneteenth Pageant at The Baby Grand (818 N. Market St., Wilmington). Tickets are $15 for adults and $7.50 for ages 12 and younger at thegrandwilmington.com.

Have a story idea? Contact Ryan Cormier of Delaware Online/The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier) and X (@ryancormier).