Happy Juneteenth! Roscoe Overton details the extensive research project he completed and the discovery along the way that the Overtons were among the first black families to have purchased land in Texas as he shares and connects his generational ancestry from Nashville Tennessee to Austin and central Texas. Roscoe’s research and curiosity began some 70 years ago, with a conversation with his Uncle at age 10 years old.
We feature also the work of another KOOP Community Organization Member as their executive director, Marva Overton joins Bringing Light Into Darkness to describe the work of the Alliance for African American Health in Central Texas, a nonprofit organization that engages community members to address health issues that disproportionately impact African Americans. Marva describes some of the specific health challenges that disproportionately impact the Austin African American community.
Penny Jo Pullus, producer and host of KOOP Radio’s Texchromosome show, co hosts the show tonight and shares her experiences learned through a series of lunch dialogues with Roscoe. Penny Jo leads our discussion with Roscoe over the path his research took him regarding Juneteenth. Roscoe describes the slave colonies that existed and that a hundred years ago the Overtons in Bastrop were already celebrating Juneteenth. Roscoe shares the importance of all KOOP’s Celebration Events of culturally and historically events KOOP celebrates throughout the year and his specific participation in the KOOP Celebration of Juneteenth. Roscoe’s research and curiosity began some 70 years ago, with a conversation with his Uncle at age 10 years old.
Penny Jo concludes the show by questioning Pedro Gatos on the degree of wealth inequality and why it so important to address and queries the significance and to better describe the importance of race as a social construct. We conclude the show with an invite to join in Roscoe led and Community Council supported quest to create a city wide Elevate Juneteenth Celebration Committee to carry forward issues raised during the show tonight. Please join us as Roscoe brings light into darkness.