Reedy Chapel AME Church shares excitement about Former President Joe Bidens visit on Juneteenth

Fmr. Pres. Joe Biden visiting Galveston for Juneteenth

Former President Joe Biden plans on celebrating Juneteenth in the city that the celebration is tied to. FOX 26's Leslie DelasBour spoke to a member of the church where Biden is scheduled to attend.

GALVESTON, Texas - It’s been 160 years since enslaved people in Texas were told they were free, June 19th 1865, in Galveston.

This year, Former President Joe Biden will be at Reedy Chapel AME church and a part of the celebration. 

"So we are excited, and I think excitement is maybe an understatement, and I hope that it becomes a defining moment for Galveston and the nation," said Sharon Baptiste Gillins, member and trustee of Reedy Chapel AME Church. "Reedy Chapel has a tremendous history in that it was the first celebration of the emancipation that happened in Galveston. So it was going to be special for us." 

MORE: Former President Joe Biden coming to Galveston for Juneteenth

Reedy Chapel shared details about Juneteenth events

Timeline:

Sharon Baptiste Gillins says there are a lot of events planned for Thursday with Reedy Chapel AME Church. 

"Our day will start early, around 1 o’clock in the parking lot with the family fun day," said Baptiste Gillins. "As we always do, at about 5:45, people will go over to the Old Galveston Courthouse, and we will begin a reenactment of the original celebration of emancipation, and that included a procession from the Old Galveston Courthouse to the ‘Colored Church’ on Broadway. And that Colored Church on Brodway was Reedy Chapel AME Church." 

Baptiste Gillins adds that Former President Biden will be present at the service inside Reedy Chapel AME Church. 

"From that point, we will enter into the church to have a service that really parallels the type of service that was held in 1866," said Gillins. 

More Juneteenth events in Galveston

Local perspective:

Although Biden will only be in attendance at Reedy Chapel AME Church, the morning at Ashton Villa the official Juneteenth Galveston commemoration - the 46th Al Edwards Juneteenth celebration - will begin at 10. 

"One of the first events is free and open to the public, and we have standing room only and its 150 seats," said Doug Matthews, who has been curating and coordinating the event for 45 years. "We will have a gentleman dressed as General Gordon Grainger and from that point that’s what people all come for. 

MORE: Juneteenth 2025: Events, commemorations in the Houston area

Gavleston traffic, safety control

Why you should care:

The City of Galveston has put out a plan for traffic and safety control for President Biden’s visit.

READ MORE ABOUT CLOSURES HERE. 

Baptiste Gillins adds that Thursday's event will be one you don’t want to miss. 

"So it is our history, its Galveston history, is our history, and it is a very important part of American history. For us, Juneteenth is a unifying event because everybody celebrates freedom."