Ellen Garrison Clark (Photos courtesy of robbinshouse.org, Design: ColoradoBlvd.net Graphics Dept.)
The Altadena Historical Society, in collaboration with the local community, will host a Juneteenth Celebration Luncheon on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at Farnsworth Park—Davies Building in Altadena.
By News Desk
Now an annual event, the Juneteenth celebration is a testament to the commitment to honor the life and legacy of Ellen Garrison Clark, a 19th-century civil rights activist. The Altadena Historical Society established the Ellen Garrison Clark Fund, placed a grave marker where she was buried in Mountain View Cemetery, and awarded scholarships to two deserving high school seniors, making a tangible difference in their lives.
Ellen Garrison Clark Scholarship to be awarded to Muir Students
This year, the Altadena Historical Society (AHS) honored her legacy by awarding $1,000 scholarships to two graduating seniors from John Muir High School. The program will also feature a compelling Ellen Garrison Clark documentary by Five Sisters Productions and a display of historical quilts made by Vicki Stuckey.
This event on Juneteenth is made possible by contributions to the Ellen Garrison Clark Fund and the support of Mountain View Cementery and AHS member Timothy Jones of Collen, Texas.
For more information and tickets to the event, visit the Altadena Historical Society Website.
Ellen Garrison Clark and Juneteenth
Juneteenth (officially Juneteenth National Independence Day and also known as Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, and Black Independence Day) is a momentous occasion commemorating enslaved African Americans’ emancipation. Originating in Galveston, Texas, it has been celebrated annually on June 19, in various parts of the United States, since 1865.
Ellen Garrison Clark was an African American woman, anti-slavery activist, civil rights advocate, and educator. She spent the final years of her life in the Altadena/Pasadena area, teaching Blacks to read and write. Clark died on December 21, 1892, and was laid to rest at the Altadena Mountain View Cemetery without a grave marker. On Juneteenth, 2021, Clark received a headstone through a campaign by the Altadena Historical Society.
In September of 2023, the Altadena Historical Society and the San Gabriel Questors laid two more headstones on the direct descendants of slaves Harvey and Susanne Clark at Mountain View Cemetery.
Juneteenth Celebration Luncheon June 19, 2024 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Location Farnsworth Park — William D. Davies Memorial Building 568 Mount Curve Ave. Altadena, CA 91001
Leave a Reply