Juneteenth festival celebrates 140 years of freedom from slavery

Which holiday commemorates Americans earning their freedom? The Fourth of July seems like an obvious answer, but it is not entirely correct. Some Americans did not obtain freedom until almost 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. \nThis June marks the 140th anniversary of freedom for African Americans in the U.S. and the celebration of Juneteenth, the holiday that recognizes the end of slavery.\nIU has joined with the Bloomington community to host its 7th annual Juneteenth celebration Saturday at Bryan Park from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, all activities will be moved indoors to IU's Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center.\nWhile Juneteenth signifies a time that was particularly important to African Americans, everyone is encouraged to attend and learn about the festival.\n"We are trying to make this a multicultural event," said Oyibo Afoaku, director of the NMBCC. "We want to make it everybody's event so everybody will attend. There are no strangers, we are all doing this together."\nThis year's Juneteenth celebration will offer a variety of events. There will be musical performances, storytelling, a play about the Underground Railroad and a keynote speech given by IU alumnus Leroy Robinson. The keynote speech will be given right after the welcoming remarks at 11 a.m. and the play will immediately follow.\nAttendees, however, will not merely be spectators. They will have the opportunity to make crafts, play games and learn step, a popular form of dance. They will also be able to sample food and purchase items such as African clothes and jewelry from local vendors.\n"We like to have different things," Afoaku said. "That's one of the things that makes Juneteenth special -- there's something for everybody."\nPeople can also participate by joining the parade that will precede the events at the park. The parade will start at 10 a.m. at the NMBCC and travel south on Jordan Ave. to 1st Street, following it west to Henderson and will end at Bryan Park.\n"The parade was added last year and it was very good," Afoaku said. "We enjoyed walking the street and making a little noise and drawing attention to Juneteenth."\nAttendees will be "inspired, informed and feeling good" after absorbing the cultural flavor of the day, according to Eric Love, the director of diversity education.\n"It educates everybody, old and young," said Sachiko Higgins-Kante, a staff member at the NMBCC. "I hope that people will understand that Juneteenth really is a special day and it's a day that should not be talked about just in the sense of 'it was' but also something that is and should be a part of their life everyday."\nThe people involved with Juneteenth hope that those who attend will be able to feel a connection with each other and embrace the spirit of the day, regardless of their race. \n"Today, life is so diversified; people are mixing more, intermarrying," Higgins-Kante said. "(Juneteenth is) a way that children and adults can learn and appreciate their heritage."\nIn addition to educating others and bringing people of all races together, the event helps strengthen the bond between IU and Bloomington.\n"(Juneteenth is) a great program where the campus and community come together," Love said. "Juneteenth is a major bridge between the two"