Bloomington to hold 9th Juneteenth celebration

Bloomington will host its ninth annual Juneteenth Freedom Celebration on Saturday with a parade, speeches, dancing, performances and food, as well as a new addition – a king and queen pageant. \nOyibo Afoaku, director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, said the pageant is a way to expand the festivities and that students are excited about the addition. \nPageant contestants must be at least 13 years old and have submitted an essay on what Juneteenth means to them today. The contestants will present three- to five-minute routines on Saturday. Afoaku said that the king and queen will represent the essence of the celebration. \n“(They) will help to carry the message forward,” Afoaku said. \nWilliam Vance Jr., president of the Bloomington chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, explained that the Juneteenth celebration originates from June 19, 1865, when slaves in Galveston, Texas, finally heard they had been declared free, a decision that had been in effect for more than two years. \nHe also noted that Juneteenth became an official state holiday for Texas in 1980. Since then, the celebration has spread throughout the country. Vance is the keynote speaker for Bloomington’s Juneteenth festival. The title of his speech is “Opinions of a cross section of gifted thinkers.” \nVance said he believes the celebration should not be reserved to the black community.\n“It’s a time for all Americans to celebrate,” he said. \nThe celebration will begin at 10 a.m. at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center with a community parade that will end at Bryan Park. In case of rain, the parade will be canceled and festivities will take place inside the center, according to the Juneteenth press release. \nAfter the conclusion of the parade, festivities will be held at Bryan Park until 4 p.m. \nThe celebration will feature several performances as well as a drumming workshop taught by internationally acclaimed musician and doctoral student Kwesi Brown. The Ghana native grew up performing and set up his own company in 1992. He said he believes that music is an important way to celebrate the African culture and heritage. \n“Through music and dances, we tell the stories,” Brown said. \nThe celebration is made possible with the help of major sponsors such as Ivy Tech Community College, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. and the City of Bloomington. \nWelcoming remarks for the celebration at Bryan Park will be given by Ivy Tech Bloomington Chancellor John Whikehart, IU Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Dick McKaig, and Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan. \n“It’s a community collaboration,” said Safe and Civil City Director Beverly Calender-Anderson. \nFor more information on the Juneteenth ceremony, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~nmbcc/juneteenth/index.html.