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This year Albert Lea’s annual Juneteenth celebration not only celebrated a special holiday in the nation’s history, it also celebrated the life of a beloved community member who helped make the event possible.

The event, on Thursday at Edgewater Bay Pavilion, honored the late John Smith, an educator and advocate from Albert Lea. Day Peace, a Lake Mills-based comedian, returned to emcee the event.

“Juneteenth celebrates the date of June 19, 1865, when enslaved people of African descent located in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom from the slavery system in the United States,” according to a description on nps.gov.

Even before it became a federally recognized holiday in 2021, Smith celebrated Juneteenth and organized events in Albert Lea.

Holly Babcock, executive director of Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau, worked with Smith during some of these events and gave a tribute to him Thursday.

Smith’s great-grandfather, she said, was born into slavery, and after getting his freedom, raised a family. His son later opened a one-room schoolhouse, leading to a family full of educators, including Smith.

“He was always doing the real work,” Babcock said of Smith and his dedication to bettering the Albert Lea community.

When Smith approached her to ask about the Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau hosting a Juneteenth event, Babcock said she was excited to be able to further his mission of bringing more awareness of the holiday to the area.

Peace said he met Smith a handful of times but did not know him personally. For this year’s event, he said, he worked a lot with Smith’s wife, Elaine, to make sure the event honored Smith well.

Peace said his favorite part of Albert Lea’s Juneteenth event is having different voices being heard.

“Sometimes when I do these events, and again I live in a small town as well, it gets repetitive, and I love the fact that we have younger people that are stepping up and talking. We have older people, we have Black and white and Latina. I think that’s important — that the message doesn’t just come from one person or one group of people,” he said.

Other speakers at the event included artist Debb Peterson, whose painting, “Free as the Wind,” was raffled during the event, and Quinten Amos, owner of Minnesota Fresh clothing store.

Writer Yvonne Willis read a poem, “I Rise,” and shared a little of her story about coming to the United States from Jamaica.

Local student and activist Erika Saindon also spoke at the event.

Juneteenth, Saidon said, marks “the abolishment of slavery. But it’s not just this. It’s a mark of us continuing fighting, a mark that our voices can be heard.”

Saindon said the history of Juneteenth was not taught to her in her high school years, so she had to research the holiday herself.

“This day really means a lot, especially knowing Mr. Smith and him teaching me, and always believing in the things that I can do and the power that I have with my voice.”

Saindon also brought a painting she made portraying herself and Smith sharing a hug for the last time at last year’s Juneteenth celebration.

After learning that Smith had passed, Saindon said she was sent a photo of her and Smith hugging, and it really touched her.

Following the speeches, three raffles were drawn and everyone was invited for a water balloon fight outside, a tradition Peace said he started for Father’s Day in his family.