Celebrate Black history during Springfield's first city-wide Juneteenth weekend festival

For the first time, Springfieldians may celebrate Juneteenth during a city-wide weekend festival this year. The inaugural "We Are One" Juneteenth celebration is hosted by the NAACP of Springfield and Community Partnership of the Ozarks.

Celebrated on June 16, Juneteenth is a national holiday celebrating the day all enslaved people learned of the Emancipation Proclamation. It was two years after former President Abraham Lincoln presented the proclamation in 1863 that the last slaves in Texas received word of their freedom. Juneteenth became an official national holiday in 2021.

The "We Are One" weekend festival kicks off on Friday, June 16 at the Springfield Art Museum. From noon to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 16, folks are invited to visit the Springfield Art Museum to enjoy the "Creating an American Identity" exhibition.

"Creating an American Identity" is the art museum's permanent collection but will feature works from Black artists like David Driskell, Nick Cave, Robert Pruitt, Alison Saar and Richard Hunt for the weekend. Throughout Friday, guests may take home a free project bag with a mixed media collage inspired by Driskell, who is considered the father of African American art history.

Timmons Hall will present a Live Actors-Living History Tour at the museum from 5-5:45 p.m., focused on the life of Alberta Ellis, who operated the Alberta’s Hotel for Black travelers in the 1950s. To conclude the evening, The Milly Project will perform and lead a community discussion in the museum's auditorium from 6-8 p.m. The Milly Project tells the true story of an enslaved woman becoming freed in Springfield through theater production. All of the art museum's Juneteenth events are free and do not require registration.

More: Milly Sawyers won her freedom in court. Then Springfield’s founders beat her in a street.

The festival continues on Saturday, June 17 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Springfield Expo Center. Folks may enjoy a variety of local vendors, food, music, history and family-friendly activities.

NAACP of Springfield President Kai Sutton said in addition, the NAACP Health Committee will lead a public health clinic and folks may expect to hear from public officials like Mayor Ken McClure, Councilwoman Monica Horton and Minister Christine Peoples. A portion of the Saturday programming will also be dedicated to honoring Black excellence in the community.

"We Are One" concludes on Sunday, June 18 with alternative southern hip hop group Nappy Roots performing at The Riff at 8 p.m. Founded in 1995 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Nappy Roots are popularly known for their singles, "Po' Folks," "Awnaw," "Roun' the Globe" and "Good Day." Tickets for $25 are available online at bit.ly/3N40Uug.

"The city-wide festival will not only just celebrate freedom for the Black community, but also we want to be able to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in a major way," Sam Timmerman, founder and CEO of The Melody Room, said. "Making a point of engaging with your fellow neighbor, coworker or peers enables you to stay connected with the people around you and contributes to a world that values kindness and understanding over exclusion."

Though the "We Are One" weekend festival is June 16-18, the NAACP of Springfield and Community Partnership of the Ozarks are hosting Juneteenth activities all month long. On Saturday, June 3 from noon to 3 p.m., folks may enjoy a Juneteenth book fair at Barnes & Noble, which will include a Timmons Hall Live-Actors History show and tell and family-friendly activities.

On Saturday, June 10 from 6:30-8 p.m., Timmons Hall is hosting Emmy award-winning storyteller Bobby Norfolk for a discussion on Harlem art during the 20th century. The evening will begin with a costume, meet-and-greet party.

Between June 3-18, folks may participate in the "I Too Am American" passport tour, sponsored by the NAACP of Springfield and Community Partnership of the Ozarks. The passport provides a cultural tour for participants to learn more about Juneteenth and Black history in Springfield.

Physical passports will be available to pickup at Barnes & Noble and all Springfield-Greene County Libraries starting Saturday, June 3. Virtual passports will also be available via the Goosechase mobile app.

Each passport stop is associated with a different activity, such as those throughout Juneteenth weekend, including others like supporting local, Black-owned businesses and completing a "I Too Am America" poem, which is listed in the passport.

The "We Are One" weekend festival and month-long activities aren't the only Juneteenth activities in Springfield. United Community Change is also hosting its annual Juneteenth celebration.

United Community Change's A Freedom Celebration

This is the fourth year United Community Change will host a trio of Juneteenth activities. This year's Freedom of Celebration begins with a 5K Freedom Run and Walk on Saturday, June 17 from 6-10 a.m. The race begins at Jordan Valley Park will proceed along Trafficway Street to National Avenue and then loop back around to the park.

Registration for the 5K Freedom Run and Walk is available online at bit.ly/3ONeO5j. Registration is $45 for the run and $10 for the walk. Registration will also be available on-site the day of. Jones said the proceeds from the 5K Freedom Run and Walk will benefit the Drew Lewis Foundation and Hand Up.

Following the race is United Community Change's first ever parade from noon to 1:30 p.m. The parade will begin on Trafficway Street at Kimbrough Avenue, proceed to National Avenue and loop back to conclude at Jordan Valley Park.

United Community Change founder Mia Jones said United Community Change is still looking for participants — bands, dance groups, businesses and families — to participate in the parade. The parade registration form is available online at bit.ly/3IBEkWX. Individual registration is $10 and business registration is $20.

The afternoon will conclude with a celebration at Jordan Valley Ice Park from noon to 4 p.m. Jones said free water, hot dogs, popcorn and cotton candy will be available, along with bounce houses for children.

United Community Change will also be hosting a farmers market during the time, featuring produce and goods from Urban Foots Farm, Springfield Community Gardens, Fassnight Creek Farm and Jones' farm, Soul Fresh Farms. EBT will be accepted by these vendors.

Throughout the entire day, United Community Change will be collecting canned goods for Ozarks Food Harvest.

"Juneteenth, outside of being emancipation day for slavery, it was also an emancipation day for all Americans," Jones said. "It was the first time we were all truly able to be set free."

Founded as a 501(c)(3) organization in June 2020, United Community Change is dedicated to connecting marginalized individuals to the land, their homes and their community, Jones said.

One of United Community Change's largest focuses is connecting people with local agriculture.

"There's a huge gap in health disparities in the marginalized communities, in low income and Black American minorities," Jones said. "That is where we stand to start to cause change because we feel like in order for people to really change their lives, the first thing that we have to do is eliminate their expenses and inabilities to have access to food."

United Community Change works with Springfield Community Gardens, specifically as the primary caregivers for the Pacific and West Side Gardens. Jones said she has also been working with the Springfield Community Gardens' intern to learn more about implementing diversity, equity and inclusion into the organization.

Pat Jones YMCA Barbecue

The Pat Jones YMCA is also hosting a Juneteenth Barbecue on Saturday, June 10 from 3-6 p.m. Food, live music and door prizes will be provided. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets.

Tickets for the barbecue are $15 per adult plate and $8 per child plate. All proceeds from the dinner benefit the Pat Jones YMCA. Tickets may be purchased at the Pat Jones YMCA or at the event.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 'We Are One' celebrates Black history over 3-day festival