Dallas – Remembrances of the historic Oak Cliff neighborhoods Tenth Street and The Bottom headline the Juneteenth celebrations at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library on Saturday, June 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Tenth Street neighborhood is located east of I-35 and north of Clarendon Drive in Oak Cliff, including Oak Cliff Cemetery and more than 250 residences built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Bottom neighborhood is adjacent along the Trinity River. Established after the Civil War by formerly enslaved people, the areas flourished through the Jim Crow era as a self-contained African American communities. Tenth Street is considered one of the few remaining intact Freedmen’s towns in the United States, and in 1994 it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its cultural and architectural significance.
The Bottom is currently undergoing revitalization with hundreds of new homes planned for the area. Activities begin with a presentation by Dallas historian and African American genealogist Donald Payton followed by a performance by musician Stanley Glenn playing blues music originated by Tenth Street native T-Bone Walker. An exhibit of historic photographs from the Dallas Public Library archive with items of historic significance and artwork provided by Tenth Street and The Bottom residents will be on display. The exhibit runs on the 7th floor through Friday, Oct. 20.
Afternoon events include a remembrance stone activity led by the Nasher Sculpture Center to honor Black residents who shaped the history of the Tenth Street neighborhood; an interactive exercise on building your ideal neighborhood facilitated by the nonprofit RAYO Planning; and a staging of “A Free Man Cries for the Future,” an original play by Iv Amenti about the joys and struggles of a early 20th century family from Tenth Street.
These programs are made possible thanks to the Friends of the Dallas Public Library. "A Free Man Cries for the Future" is funded by the Office of Arts and Culture and the Community Arts Pop-Up Cultural Center.
About DPL: Dallas Public Library operates the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library and 29 branch locations, serving more than 9 million visitors each year. A library card is free for any Dallas resident. For information on the many free programs and services available at Dallas Public Library, visit www.dallaslibrary.org.
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