The Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center hosted a Juneteenth Celebration Thursday at the center’s courtyard.
Juneteenth is a federal holiday that celebrates the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans in the United States. Union Army General Gordon Granger announced the emancipation of those enslaved in Texas on June 19, 1865, in Galveston.
Gloria Howell, the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Director said the event not only gave an opportunity to recognize the historical importance of this day, but it also gave people a chance to come together as a community and celebrate.
“If you look all over the country and see what folks are doing, I think folks just want to take a big deep breath and try to just get rid of all that weight that we have with everything that's going on in the world, and just really celebrate the essence of and the beauty of being black,” Howell said.
The event was free and open to the public. The culture center prepared to have 350 to 400 individuals, Howell said.
The celebration served as a way to also welcome new students to campus who are here during summer programs, like students from the Group Scholars program for first-generation college students.
“This is a really good time to introduce people to campus, introduce them to IU, introduce them to Bloomington, but also show them that they have a family that's here to, you know, look out for them while they're on campus,” Howell said.
Besides the food, music, crafts and games, a main aspect the event offered was the Black culture walk. This walk served as a self-guided tour to allow participants to see Black landmarks on campus, she said - landmarks like a portrait of George Taliaferro, an Indiana University alum who was the first Black football player drafted into the NFL.
The culture center also gave out swag bags with toiletries and non-perishable food items as part of the George Taliaferro Giving Program. Bloomington historian Elizabeth Mitchell also spoke about the significance of the holiday, Howell said.