It was their first Juneteenth dinner, held on the grounds of Union Zion Baptist Church in Ware Neck, and it proved to be a great success. “We hope to make this an annual event,” said Bunny Carter, who was speaking for the organizing committee of three which also included Kisie Gardner and Kathy Jones. “All proceeds go directly to the church.”

What they called a dinner was more like a feast. The menu read: fried fish, fried chicken, green beans, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, corn bread, hot rolls, pound cakes, coconut pies. The people who had purchased their tickets beforehand ($17 for one or $30 for two) were the lucky ones. “The tables were cleaned of their contents.”

A truly united church membership worked together to ensure everyone enjoyed good cooking and good old southern hospitality. For the day’s celebration, the chicken was fried by Kisie Gardner and the fish fried by the Rev. Willie Dickerson and Tyrone Carter.

Union Zion Church was established in 1867 by 17 pe...