SECOND LINE AND A FIRST Juneteenth, considered the date when the last enslaved people in America were freed, has been celebrated in the town of Oberlin for over two decades. This year’s event, called “Dancing and the Second Line: Releasing Enslaved Spirits to Freedom,” invoked the New Orleans musical funeral parade tradition of the Second Line and was led by Preservation Hall Jazz Band horn player Kevin Louis ’99 (above, left). For the first time, Oberlin College added Juneteenth as a paid holiday this year, and it was named a federal holiday, as well. 4
JOHN SE YFRIED
Around Tappan Square