UA plans NWA Juneteenth celebration

Courtesy graphic

The University of Arkansas and the Northwest Arkansas Juneteenth Planning Committee will host the annual Northwest Arkansas Juneteenth Celebration in NWA this month.

Juneteenth, also known as the “African American Emancipation Day,” originated in Galveston, Texas in 1865, and is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery.

From today, June 7 through June 19, several different events will occur around the Northwest Arkansas region, some in-person and some virtual. Appearances will include 2021 Grammy Award-winning and associate professor of music education, Dr. Jeffery Murdock, singer, songwriter, producer, and actor Eric Benét, the first-ever female African American MasterChef season 10 winner, Dorian Hunter, and more.

On Thursday, June 17, Crystal Bridges and Arkansas Cinema Society bring the Arkansas Black Film Showcase to Northwest Arkansas.The event will include a screening of Dreamland hosted by DAYVISION Films, and a talk by Black filmmakers at Crystal Bridges starting at 5:30 p.m. The event is free, and you can register at https://tickets.crystalbridges-themomentary.org

On Friday, June 18, the Arkansas Department of Health will be conducting a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at The Gardens on the U of A campus starting at 2 p.m. The ADH will be administering the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and no registration is required.

Other events include a scavenger hunt, discussions, concerts, grab-n-go giveaways, and more.

Swag bags will be given to those who register for the NWA Juneteenth Virtual Celebration on Friday and Saturday, June 18-19.

To receive a bag, you must register for the virtual Juneteenth Celebration event at https://zoom.us/webinar/register

The swag bag pick-up will run from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, June 18, at The Gardens on the U of A campus. Swag bag pick up on June 19 will run from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Rogers Farmers Market. The bag giveaway is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

To register and see all of the events, visit https://juneteenth.uark.edu/