News release from the Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County:
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, in partnership with the City of Asheville, has planned the 2024 Juneteenth Celebration with the intended outcomes of a diverse celebration that fosters broad participation, promotes community awareness and appreciation, and celebrates the liberation of enslaved people.Dating back to 1865, two-and-a-half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This started the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. The City of Asheville designated Juneteenth as a city holiday in 2021, and on June 8 Mayor Esther Manheimer issued a proclamation acknowledging Juneteenth as a day of celebration for Black Americans.
All events are free and open to the public. The Juneteenth Lunch & Learn Sessions will feature a catered lunch followed by local leaders speaking on topics such as the historical facts of Juneteenth, reflections of life in Black Asheville, and slave records & African-American cemeteries. Also, come celebrate with us at Juneteenth At DownTown After 5 and at the Juneteenth Gala.See the full schedule of events:
All Lunch & Learns will be 12:00pm-1:30pmMonday, June 17: Linwood Crump Shiloh CenterTheme: Honoring The Legacy of Civil Rights Workers: James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner 60th Memorial.Tuesday, June 18: Dr. Wesley Grant CenterTheme: First African American Families of Asheville and Buncombe CountyThursday, June 20: Burton Street Recreation CenterTheme: Reflections on Gentrification of the African American NeighborhoodsFriday, June 21: Tempie-Avery Montford CenterTheme: Early African American Health Care & Today’s African American InequitiesAdditional Events
Distinguished Speaker Presentation and ReceptionWednesday, June 19: Black Wall StreetSpeaker: Mary D. Williams.Theme: From Slavery to Juneteenth JubileeJuneteenth Gala 7:00 pmThursday, June 20: Stephens-Lee Center.A celebratory commemoration of Juneteenth, this ‘tie or no-tie’ gala will be free and open to the public. Guests will enjoy catered appetizers, alcoholic ($) and non-alcoholic beverages, a live band with dancing, and a silent auction presenting a variety of local treasures procured from many of the communities most talented entrepreneurs and artists of color.Junetenth At DownTown After 5Friday June 21st: Lexington AveIn cooperation with the Asheville Downtown Association, the 3rd iteration of Downtown After 5 will celebrate Junteenth music, food and entertainment. The stage will come alive assembling genres including rhythm, blues, soul, calypso and jazz.All events are FREE to the public due to the generous donations and/or sponsorships of the following organizations:The City of AshevilleMission Health AshevilleExplore AshevilleAsheville-Buncombe Technical Community CollegeDogwood Health TrustBurial Beer CompanyHighland BreweryDownTown After 5Givens Communities
#BLEXIT for the people now! BlexitFoundation.org Free your mind and join the movement toward true freedom !