This year’s local Juneteenth celebration – the 20th in the Chippewa Valley – will be an all-day virtual event on Friday, celebrating the 1865 end of slavery in the United States.
The observance aims to bring together area residents to celebrate their commitment toward a more united community enriched by its diversity, according to a press release from the Uniting Bridges Organization, the event’s organizer.
The celebration dates back to June 19, 1865 when Union soldiers landed in Galveston, TX with the news that the Civil War was over and that former slaves were free. That announcement put an end to slavery in the former Confederate states. Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Wisconsin in 2009.
Events online all day Friday
Friday’s events will begin online at 9 a.m. and will culminate with a “Community Conversation on Race, Education and Policing in Everyday Life,” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. That conversation will be moderated by Ed Hudgins of Converge Radio, who played a similar role in the May 31 community discussion in remembrance of George Floyd.
From 9 a.m. to noon, the focus will be on race issues throughout American history, including an 11 a.m. session on “Lessons from the 1967 Milwaukee Riots” and one at 11:30 a.m. on “Monuments and Memory.”
News media panel scheduled
From noon to 1:30 p.m. a panel discussion is scheduled on “Covering Protests and Working with the Community.” Panelists will include Eric Lindquist of the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram; Julian Emerson from UpNorthNews; Zach Prelutsky from WEAU-TV’ and Noah Ovshinsky of Wisconsin Public Radio.
Four simultaneous programs will be available from 1:30 to 3 p.m., including a panel on “Hmong Voices in the Age of George Floyd.” The other three sessions will deal with how to protest nonviolently, issues in regard to black masculinity and holding critical race discussions.
From 3 to 4:30 p.m., the L. E. Phillips Memorial Public Library will sponsor training in de-escalating tense situations. It will be followed by the hour-long Altoona Juneteenth commemoration, which will include the dedication of River Prairie Park as an inclusive space and the reading of the city’s Juneteenth proclamation.
Altoona participants
Participants will include Altoona Mayor Brendan Pratt and Police Chief Kelly Bakken, Altoona High School Principal Jim Reif, UW-Eau Claire History Prof. Selika Ducksworth-Lawton and Breana Stanley, president of the Chippewa Valley LGBTQ+ Community Center. Ducksworth-Lawton also heads Uniting Bridges, and will be leading the non-violent protest session earlier in the afternoon as well as a discussion of Jim Crow laws and related attitudes at 9:30 a.m.
A musical interlude is scheduled from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., featuring Irie Sol, Naalia and the Eau Claire Collective Choir.
The 6:30 community conversation will focus on race, education, policing and everyday life. It will be open to community participation after opening comments by several speakers, including Eau Claire Deputy Police Chad Hoyord, State Rep. Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire), David Carlson and Nivaya Lambert.
Register for Zoom access
All of the day’s activities are free and open to the public, but registration on Eventbite is necessary to get access via Zoom. Drop-in attendance is welcome on the Converge Radio Facebook page or on YouTube without a ticket from Eventbrite but real-time participation will be possible only through the Zoom link.
Registration can be completed at https://www.eventbrite.com/x/city-of-eau-claire-and-altoona-juneteenth-celebration-tickets-109560404118.
Sponsors of the celebration are Converge Radio, the cities of Eau Claire and Altoona, the Visit Eau Claire Foundation, the UW-EC’s chancellor’s office and its Office of Multicultural Affairs, Office of Affirmative Action and the History department.