HMMMMMMMMM "[Buffalo, New York's] Juneteenth Festival drew a smaller crowd to Martin Luther King Park on Sunday, but still entertained festival-goers with a variety of events and activities celebrating African-American heritage and culture. … In addition to traditional events like the parade, this year’s festival included a re-enactment of a slave auction that took place throughout the two days. The actors stayed in character after the performance to answer questions from the crowd. … Debra Johnson, who has attended the festival nearly every year, said she couldn’t attend the re-enactment. 'Emotionally, I wasn’t ready for it,' Johnson said, adding that it was different to read and hear about such auctions then it was to actually see it."
This is interesting- I want to know more about how that woman conceptualizes the legacy of slavery such that the idea of a re-enactment had such a profound emotional effect on her. What sentiments are passed along about slavery from generation to generation within the black community? They didn't teach us that angle in school.
We did a re-enactment of a slave auction for a African-American history class I took back in college. There was some laughter at first until the girls stood and the auctioneer explained the high points- she's a good breeder. Or when the guys stood up they were strong as an ox. Sadly one can say that times have changed but the mindset hasn't.