Westford is hosting its second annual Juneteenth celebration and flag raising at the Westford Town Common on Thursday, June 19, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event will be hosted by the town’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. Along with the flag raising, an educational presentation will be held at the Parish Center for the Arts, led by UMass Lowell Professor Dr. Robert Forrant.
After meticulous planning, DEI Committee member Wendy Gloyd, on behalf of the committee board, introduced the idea of expanding the focus of this year’s event by weaving together Westford’s lesser-known Juneteenth stories with those from neighboring towns to deepen public understanding of the enduring impact of emancipation.
“Last year’s program focused heavily on uncovering the local history many of us had never learned, particularly the presence of slavery right here in Westford,” said Gloyd. “This year, we’re expanding that understanding. We’re connecting the dots between local and national narratives, and inviting our community to consider not just what happened, but how those histories still shape our identities and communities today.”
To help unpack those connections, the DEI committee turned to a local expert with decades of insight into Westford’s layered past. Forrant has been teaching for the Department of History at the University of Massachusetts Lowell for 31 years. On top of teaching, Forrant has taken up research opportunities on topics such as labor, immigration, and United States history in the 19th and 20th centuries. His lecture at the event, titled “Threads of Freedom: Unravelling the Legacy of Cotton, Labor, and Liberation,” will explore Lowell’s rich abolitionist legacy and how the city moved on from a textile mill-dependent economy.
“I have written a lot about Lowell’s industrial history and done a lot of research and writing about the city’s anti-slavery history. In addition, I have given talks for the last few years revolving around Juneteenth history. So, when asked to speak in Westford, I said, ‘Sure thing,'” Forrant said. “Giving a talk is a lot like practicing a sport you love. Just like in sports, which I love, practice equals improvement. I know when I attend a lecture, I want the presenter to value my time, be mindful of the time allocated for the talk and stick to it, and be enthusiastic about the topic.”
The Westford DEI Committee encourages residents and visitors alike to attend this year’s Juneteenth flag raising and celebration event as an opportunity to engage in thoughtful dialogue, learn from powerful historical insights, and honor the continued journey toward equity and justice.
