CARTERVILLE, Ill. (KFVS) - John A. Logan College will host its annual Juneteenth celebration on Wednesday, June 17, with a free community event featuring live entertainment, food and educational activities.
The event is scheduled from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in the College Conference Center and is open to the public.
“Juneteenth is an opportunity to celebrate freedom, reflect on our nation’s history, and come together as a community,” John A. Logan College President Kirk Overstreet said in a statement.
Dr. Paul Frazier, vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, will deliver the keynote address. Live music will be provided by The J Sound Band, according to the college.
Food and drink will be available from Smokin’ K’s BBQ, Cajun Cuisine, and Pepsi MidAmerica. Planned activities include poetry and historical readings, “Human Bingo,” local vendor displays, games and other family-oriented attractions, organizers said.
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Attendees are encouraged to bring donations and school supplies for the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Illinois and Mary Logan High School. The collection is intended to support local youth and families, the college said.
Visitors are asked to park in the Gold and Blue parking lots and follow posted signs to the Conference Center, due to ongoing construction on campus.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The holiday marks freedom, resilience, culture and progress.
For more information, call John A. Logan College at (618) 985-2828, or visit the John A. Logan College website.
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