Jackson Juneteenth Celebration 2021 will offer Jackson Black Town Hall

(June 4, 2021 10:14 AM) Jackson College announced today the 2021 Juneteenth Celebration will be held virtually and on JTV as a Black Town Hall Celebration on June 17 and 18, 2021.   Jackson College and community partners will be presenting a series of events and programming virtually, on-air, and in person.

“The Time Has Come” will be the theme for this year’s Juneteenth event, which will work toward identifying solutions and accountability. Topics for panel discussions will include:

·         Health Inequities & Disparities, 10 a.m. Thursday (doors open 9:30 a.m.), June 17, Martin Luther King Center, 1107 Adrian St., Jackson. The pandemic has highlighted disparities and inequities in our American healthcare system. Hear more from our local medical community with officials from Henry Ford Allegiance Health and the Center for Family Health.  Live at 10 AM airing on JTV.

·         Black-Owned Businesses, 6 p.m. Thursday, June 17, pre-recorded, online. Hear from Black-owned business leaders from Jackson as they share stories of challenges, failures and successes. Jackson College’s Lee Hampton will moderate, and a list of local Black-owned businesses will be included. 

·         Racial Inequities – Social Justice and Criminal Justice Reform, 10:30 a.m. Friday (doors open 10 a.m.), June 18, Michigan Theater, 124 N. Mechanic St., Jackson. While the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are well known after this past year, sadly these incidents are not new. Local law enforcement and community leaders will discuss racial inequities and calls for social justice and criminal justice reform. Live at 10:30 AM airing on JTV.

“The 2021 Jackson Juneteenth is shaping up to be a very impactful community event. Although it will be in a virtual format, the programming of this year‘s event is equivalent or superior to anything we have had to this point,” said Lee Hampton, vice president and chief diversity officer, Jackson College. “In honor of the spirit of Juneteenth, this year programming is taking a deep dive into current matters that are significantly impacting the greater Jackson community, especially the black community. This will be a can’t-miss event for the greater Jackson community.”

Local community members from health care, police and courts, business leaders, and more will take part. For those attending in person, masks are recommended.

For on air, online streaming, and pre-recorded sessions, visit: JTV, https://jtv.tv; Facebook, @JacksonJuneteenth; YouTube, Jackson Juneteenth.

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of freedom for African-Americans. It commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas, originating in Galveston in 1865. The observance of Juneteenth as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. Today, Juneteenth commemorates African-American freedom and emphasizes achievement.