The Black History Gallery, 819 Wall St., McComb, hosted its annual Juneteenth Celebration on June 19, 2021 at the McComb MLK Center. Attendees were invited to celebrate the recently recognized national holiday and partake in a celebration of freedom. The event included musical performances, poetry, storytelling, a candle lighting ceremony, food and fellowship, and the history of Juneteenth. The Black History Gallery presented a gift and recognition of the 2021 “Mr. Juneteenth” award to Bobby Talbert. Talbert is a local civil rights pioneer who was arrested 62 times (12 times with John Lewis) for his work in civil rights efforts. He was in attendance on the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma on “Bloody Sunday” and involved in civil rights campaigns spanning all over the southern region of the United States. Pastor Micah Carter of Winding-Carter COGIC was the speaker for the event.
