The University’s third annual event marking the holiday features games, music, food, and more.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) celebrated its third annual Juneteenth Jubilee event at the UMB Community Engagement Center (CEC) on June 15 with a range of activities for all ages, including a children’s play area, food trucks, and a DJ.
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the enslaved were now free — 2½ years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
UMB’s Juneteenth Jubilee event also is designed to showcase Black-owned businesses, provide free activities and food, and create an environment for family fun.
Danielle Harris, LCSW-C, one of the event coordinators and interim director, CEC, said, “We are excited that this is our third annual Juneteenth Jubilee community event. When I started at the University about three years ago in my department, I had a vision to have a community event to celebrate Juneteenth but primarily for the youth to understand what Juneteenth means.
“For me, Juneteenth means just the appreciation for my ancestors and then to support Black businesses,” she added. “All of the businesses here are Black-owned businesses who serve primarily the Black community.”
Expanding on the impact of the event, Chrishna Williams, MS, another event coordinator and director of development and alumni relations, UMSSW, added: “The importance of events like this is to really show support of the holiday itself, but also to show community members, faculty, staff, and our students that we support what Juneteenth means and what it represents.
“It’s beyond just saying it’s a holiday,” Williams added. “It’s whether your values really align with what Juneteenth really is.”
Watch a video about the event below or on YouTube.