Festival, parade and more to celebrate Juneteenth in Tuscaloosa
The Black Heritage Festival scheduled for Saturday in Tuscaloosa will place an emphasis celebrating Juneteenth, which marks the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans in the United States.
"It's already like a national holiday, right? So, we're just trying to get it stamped in Tuscaloosa to where every year, we got something to look forward to," said Jeffery Morrow, one of the festival's organizers.
In 2021, President Joe Biden officially recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Juneteenth came to prominence in 2020 amid nationwide protests after Minneapolis, Minnesota man George Floyd and Louisville, Kentucky woman Breonna Taylor were killed during encounters with law enforcement.
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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox have authorized Juneteenth as a holiday for state and local government workers. This year, Juneteenth will officially be observed on Monday.
Meanwhile, this year's Black Heritage Festival, hosted by the Higher Conscious organization, take place along with the Tuscaloosa branch of the NAACP's Juneteenth celebration.
The Tuscaloosa branch of the NAACP has organized a parade, followed by a community cookout. The event is free and open to the public.
The celebration will kick off at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with the parade, which will begin at Westlawn Middle School, 1715 Martin Luther King Blvd., and conclude at Plum Grove Baptist Church, 2822 Fosters Ferry Road.
The parade will be followed by the cookout from noon until 6 p.m. at Palmore Park, 3701 Fosters Ferry Road. According to a news release from the University of Alabama, state Sen. Bobby Singleton of Greensboro and state Rep. A.J. McCampbell of Gallion will be in attendance as “grillmasters” at the cookout.
The Black Heritage Festival will feature live music, spoken word poetry, activities for kids activities and more.
The festival was created in 2021 by the Higher Conscious organization, a nonprofit organization that focuses on mindfulness and bridging the racial gap in the Tuscaloosa community.
"I think we need to start celebrating our independence and let people know that Juneteenth is a really important day for our history," said Robbie Bishop, who is one of the festival's organizers, along with Morrow, Elisa Scott and other community partners.
Bishop and Morrow, both Tuscaloosa natives, said the festival will be inclusive to everyone and that all members of the community are encouraged to join the celebration. The two men say that the festival will provide guests with a fun and educational environment.
Bishop and Morrow said the goal is to make the festival and the Juneteenth celebration a permanent staple in Tuscaloosa.
For more information about the Tuscaloosa Black Heritage Festival, follow the Tuscaloosa Black Heritage Festival on Facebook or visit its website at https://tuscaloosablackheritagefestival.com/about-us.
Here's a look at other Juneteenth events in Tuscaloosa:
Stillman College
Stillman College in Tuscaloosa will host the inaugural Juneteenth Weekend celebration/festival, organized by the school’s Black Male Initiative, a student-focused leadership and service organization.
“It will be a weekend of fun, and hopefully people will learn about our culture and heritage,” said Arick Evans, a senior at Stillman, in a news release. “Ultimately, we’re trying to bring the community to Stillman and make it more accessible to the westside community.”
Events will include a Juneteenth "Dustbowl 5-on-5 B-Ball Classic" at 3 p.m. Friday at Greek Row and Birthright Alumni Hall.
At 2 p.m. Saturday, Stillman will host a “#Dadication and Black Arts Festival” at Greek Row and Sheppard Lawn. Their will be a fatherhood grill-off, competition with prizes for the top three contestants, live performances, food, vendors and an art walk showcasing local Black artists.
And from noon until 1 p.m. Sunday, there will be "Church on the Quad" and a Father's Day brunch at Sheppard Lawn/Hay Center Dining Hall. There will be a $12 buffet-style brunch after the church service.
Stillman College is at 3601 Stillman Blvd.
More information is available at Stillman's website, www.stillman.edu.
University of Alabama
UA’s Division of Diversity Equity and Inclusion offers a Freedom Day exhibition that explores Juneteenth's history, key figures, its impact on the United States and the African-American community, ways to get involved and more. The free exhibition is displayed 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Intercultural Diversity Center, inside the Student Center, 751 Campus Drive W, on the UA campus.
The exhibit continues through June 30.
From noon-1 p.m. Friday, the Intercultural Diversity Center will host a Juneteenth/ Freedom Day presentation.
The PowerPoint presentation will focus on the history of Juneteenth from 1856 to the present day, celebrations and practices, with reading lists and more.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday, the Intercultural Diversity Center and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute will present a virtual lecture by Charles Woods IIIfocusing on Juneteenth. Woods will discuss the history of Juneteenth, its impact and ways to celebrate and support Juneteenth. Woods is the education director and trainer for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Registration is required at eventbrite.com.
Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Celebrate Juneteenth in Tuscaloosa with a festival, parade and more
