ST. LOUIS – Juneteenth celebrations in downtown St. Louis concluded with a powerful tribute to legendary Black musicians, including the city’s own Chuck Berry, at the “Jewelteenth” event at St. Louis City Hall.
The Jewelteenth celebration, now in its fourth year, was organized by Treasurer Adam L. Layne and transformed the City Hall rotunda into a vibrant display of Black excellence, sound, and resilience. The event paid homage to Chuck Berry, a St. Louis music icon, through live performances and storytelling.
“It means the world to myself. I’m sure to my sister and especially my mother,” said Charles E. Berry Jr., son of Chuck Berry, reflecting on the tribute to his father. “My mother is 98 and she was there when he started, so this award, as I said earlier, when I give this to her I know she’s going to start crying.”
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B. Marcell Williams, founder of Jewelteenth, emphasized the importance of understanding history: “So when I was presented the opportunity to host the first ever…to put together the first ever Juneteenth government supported event here in the city of Saint Louis. I decided to name it Jewelteenth because it’s really about the history for us and making sure that our youth understand the history.”…