FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas and the Northwest Arkansas Juneteenth Planning Committee invite the community, friends and family to celebrate the annual Northwest Arkansas Juneteenth Celebrations, which commemorate the anniversary of the emancipation of African Americans.

Starting on Friday, June 4, eleven different events will take place around the Northwest Arkansas region, some in-person and some virtual. The celebration will culminate with the official Juneteenth holiday at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 19, with a virtual gathering titled “Free to be Black.”

The Community Cohesion Project and the Juneteenth Committee are hosting “Free to Be Black:” A (Virtual) Juneteenth Celebration of Family, Community, and Freedom.

Appearances will include 2021 Grammy Award-winning and associate professor of music education, Dr. Jeffery Murdock, singer, songwriter, producer and actor Eric Benét, the first-ever female African American MasterChef season 10 winner, Dorian Hunter and more.

Those wishing to attend can register at Juneteenth.uark.edu.

Other events leading up to Juneteenth include a scavenger hunt, community discussions, a film showcase, concerts and grab-n-go giveaways, as well as a COVID-19 vaccine clinic. Some of these events do require tickets or registration. Please visit Juneteenth.uark.edu to sign up.

On Friday, June 18, the Arkansas Department of Health will be conducting a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at The Gardens on the U of A campus starting at 2 p.m. The ADH will be administering the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and no registration is required.

ARKANSAS BLACK FILM SHOWCASE

On Thursday, June 17, the University of Arkansas’ Juneteenth Committee, in association with DAYVISION Films Fayetteville Film Festival, Crystal Bridges and Arkansas Cinema Society brings the African American film experience to northwest Arkansas in an effort to bring awareness, education, exposure and networking opportunities for Black Arkansans, both native and residential.

DAYVISION Films will host a screening of Dreamland and a talk by Black filmmakers at Crystal Bridges starting at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and you can register at the Crystal Bridges website. 

SWAG BAG & GO POP-UP

The Community Cohesion Project and the NWA Juneteenth Committee will provide swag bags to those who register for the NWA Juneteenth Virtual Celebration on Friday and Saturday, June 18-19.

To receive a bag, you must register for the virtual Juneteenth Celebration event.

The swag bag pick up will run from 2-6 p.m. Friday, June 18, at The Gardens on the U of A campus. Swag bag pick up on June 19 will run 9-11 a.m. at the Rogers Farmers Market. The giveaway is on a first come, first serve basis.

ABOUT JUNETEENTH

Juneteenth, or the "19th of June," is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. It recognizes June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, when Union Gen. 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 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 the issuance of a proclamation from Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Juneteenth today celebrates African American freedom and achievement while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. 

For more information about the Northwest Arkansas Juneteenth Celebration, please visit the Juneteenth website or contact Danielle Williams or at aarg@uark.edu.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.