Northwest Arkansas Juneteenth Celebration Set for June 14

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The 17^th annual Northwest Arkansas Juneteenth celebration will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at Murphy Park, 600 Ash Street in Springdale. Juneteenth, or the “19th of June,” commemorates the anniversary of African American emancipation, 149 years ago this year. It is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

The theme for this year’s event is “Black is Beautiful, Black is Healthy.” The event will include a health fair at which medical and dental providers will conduct free screenings to promote healthy living and address general medical questions. The health fair is sponsored by the Northwest Arkansas branch of the NAACP and the Community Clinic of Northwest Arkansas.

Other Juneteenth activities include live musical entertainment by The Funk Factory featuring Jeron Marshall as well as a cookout, ice cream and activities for all ages. All activities are free and the public is invited.

Guests are encouraged to take part in a silent auction, to benefit student scholarships at the University of Arkansas. Juneteenth T-shirts will also be on for sale, along with items from local vendors.

A full schedule of the day’s events is available online.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, when Union General Gordon Granger announced freedom for all slaves in the Southwest. This was the last major vestige of slavery in the United States following the end of the Civil War. This occurred more than two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln. Upon the reading of General Order No. 3 by General Granger, the former slaves celebrated jubilantly, establishing America’s second Independence Day celebration and the oldest African-American holiday observance.

 In 2006, the Arkansas Legislature first recognized Juneteenth as a state memorial day commemorated by a proclamation from Gov. Huckabee.

 The Northwest Arkansas Juneteenth Celebration is sponsored by the University of Arkansas African American Resource Group, Springdale Parks and Recreation, Wal-Mart Stores Inc./Sam’s Club, Tyson Foods, Nickelodeon, PepsiCo, Unilever, Mountain Valley Spring Water, Coca Cola, the James Baptist Church, Proctor and Gamble, Penguin Ed’s, and ARVEST Bank.

Additional sponsors from the University of Arkansas include: the Division of Student Affairs, the Center of Multicultural and Diversity Education, University Libraries, the office of equal opportunity and compliance, the School of Law, the UAPD, the U of A Black Alumni Society, and the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.