This week, Kent State welcomed all to enjoy its annual Juneteenth Jubilee. The event was celebrated on June 18 as the university closed on June 19 in observance of the national holiday.
People attending the event were treated to fantastic musical and dance performances, a selection of tasty foods, unique items for sale and more.
Juneteenth celebrates the history and cultural contributions of Black Americans. The holiday commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, got the news that the Civil War had ended, and they were now free. Slavery in states engaged in rebellion against the Union had ended a full two years before, when President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became official on Jan. 1, 1863.
In 2021, the U.S. Senate and House passed measures to recognize Juneteenth National Independence Day as a federal holiday. President Joe Biden signed the legislation on June 17, 2021.
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