Eau Claire’s Juneteenth celebration this year is scheduled for June 19 at Carson Park’s Pine Pavilion.
Juneteenth commemorates the announcement on June 19, 1865 that slavery was abolished in Texas, which marked the end of slavery in the Confederacy. It is currently recognized as a state holiday or special day in 45 states.
Eau Claire’s celebration is intended to bring together area residents to celebrate a commitment toward a more united community enriched by its diversity, according to a press release from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. It will include food, music, children’s activities and speakers, including keynote talks by Dale Taylor and state Rep. Dana Wachs (D-Eau Claire).
Taylor, a UW-EC emeritus professor, is an internationally recognized authority on music therapy. Wachs is currently a candidate in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.
This year’s musical guest at the celebration will be Irie Sol.
The theme of this year’s Juneteenth observance is the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was adopted in 1868 and addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws. It was enacted in response to issues relating to former slaves, and formed the basis for landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions in cases involving such topics as school segregation (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954), abortion (Roe v. Wade, 1973) and same-sex marriage (Obergefell v. Hodges, 2015).
UW-EC’s Uniting Bridges Organization is coordinating the Juneteenth celebration. Lead sponsors include Diversity Resources at Chippewa Valley Technical College, the city of Eau Claire and UW-EC’s chancellor’s office and Office of Affirmative Action. Further information is available from UW-EC history professor Selika Ducksworth-Lawton at duckswsm@uwec.edu.