By Arrick Garringer—
All are invited to celebrate Juneteenth on Saturday, June 18th at McCulloch Park
MUNCIE, Ind. — The Juneteenth Muncie 2022 celebration will be held from 3-9 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at McCulloch Park. (Rain date: Saturday July 9, 2022)
“The Juneteenth holiday falls on Father’s Day this year, so we are celebrating a day early on June 18th to allow people to spend time with family on Sunday,” said Dorica Watson, event co-chair.
Everyone is invited to take canopies, seating and coolers to enjoy a day at the park, featuring free food (3-6 p.m.), games, bands, spoken word, dancers, a DJ, giveaways, prizes and inflatables, as well as cornhole, Delaware County Championship Wrestling, chess tournament and special musical guest, Bashiri Asad, according to the Juneteenth Muncie Facebook page.
Vendors will offer food and merchandise, and community tables will be available. More information is available including links to volunteer or donate at juneteenthmuncie.com
This year’s Juneteenth celebration is a joint effort of the Juneteenth Muncie Committee and partnering organization, Indiana Black Expo – Muncie Chapter. Shafer Leadership Academy is the presenting sponsor of the event.
Juneteenth is a holiday commemorating the end of slavery, marking the date of June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought news to Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War had ended and all enslaved people were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
About Juneteenth Muncie
The mission of the Juneteenth Muncie Committee is to promote awareness and appreciation of African American history and life in order to build more inclusive communities today.
About Juneteenth
Although most marked the end of slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1963, there were more than 250,000 enslaved blacks who remained under the rule of masters until June 19, 1865. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation had be signed 2 year prior, it could not be implemented in areas of western Texas were strong Confederate control reigned. On June 19, 1865 in Galveston Bay, Texas, around 2,000 Union troops freed those remaining slaves – a day that has now become known as “Juneteenth”. Juneteenth is also known as “Juneteenth Independence Day”, “Freedom Day”, or “Emancipation Day.”
[Source: National Museum of African American History & Culture. The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-juneteenth]
