Juneteenth Commemoration Planned in Ellsworth
Juneteenth Commemoration Planned in Ellsworth
Community members are invited to join in commemorating Juneteenth in 2022 at Knowlton Park in Ellsworth, Maine, on Sunday, June 19, 2022, from noon to 4 p.m. 'Illuminating the Continuum of the Black Experience in Maine' will feature music, poets, speakers, authors and delectable food for all families this Father’s Day.
On June 19, 1865, Black Americans in Galveston, Texas were first told that they were freed from slavery, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. As we celebrate Juneteenth, it's important to recognize it as an opportunity to highlight Black people in business and the arts who have been and continue to be central to the formation and growth of Maine. It’s an opportunity for exposure to the diversity that exists in this state as we’re reminded that the struggle for freedom and equality persists.
Event organizers are reaching out to musicians, poets, speakers, restaurants, artisans and museums to provide an engaging, educational, inspirational and fun experience. WERU Community Radio 89.9 FM will broadcast the event live and stream online at weru.org. There will be hands-on activities for both children and adults as well as tables for vendors.
In 2022, Ellsworth’s Juneteenth event is hosted by a collaboration among community organizations and individuals. Our thanks to everyone involved, including Healthy Acadia, Greater Bangor Area Branch NAACP, YWCA MDI, MDI Racial Equity Working Group, Downeast Diversity, Mano en Mano, and with a special shout out to WERU Community Radio for live coverage of the entire event. We also wish to thank all our sponsors for their generosity in making this Commemoration possible!
If you’d like to sponsor, volunteer or participate in any way, please contact the coordinating committee via email at juneteenthellsworth@gmail.com or message on Facebook @JuneteenthEllsworth. Event updates will be shared on Healthy Acadia’s website at https://www.healthyacadia.org/ce-juneteenth.