City of Saint Paul Invites Community To Join Its Virtual Juneteenth Celebration Friday
The City of Saint Paul, in partnership with Saint Paul Public Library and Ujamaa Place, invites the community to a virtual Juneteenth 2020 commemoration of heritage and culture this Friday, June 19, at 9 a.m. The program features Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, African American Community Leaders, ART-Us Us Youth Drummers and music by The War and Treaty performing “Love Like There’s No Tomorrow” and “We Are One."
What: Virtual Juneteenth 2020 Celebration
Where: City of Saint PaulYouTube Channel
When: Friday, June 19 at 9 a.m.
Why: Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19 as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.
Communities in Saint Paul and around the world are invited to continue to share the Juneteenth 2020 virtual celebration, history and read-aloud with their social network that will remain available online: https://sppl.org/juneteenth/.
We are grateful to the below listed African American community leaders who shared what Juneteenth means to them in our virtual community program:
Anthony Galloway, Executive Director ARTS-Us Center for the African Diaspora
Chris Crutchfield, Deputy Director, Ramsey County Community Corrections/Executive Director Kamal Kamboj Circle for Cultural Learning
Debbie Montgomery, Senior Commander, Saint Paul Police Department (Ret.)/Former Assistant Commissioner MN Department of Public Safety/Former Saint Paul City Councilperson
Dr. Josie R. Johnson, Civil Rights Activist
Mary K. Boyd, Saint Paul Public School Administrator (Ret.)
Monique Linder, Founder/CEO OMG Digital Media Solutions
Melvin Carter III, Mayor of Saint Paul
Michael and Tanya Trotter, The War and Treaty
Otis Zanders, CEO Ujamaa Place
Toni Carter, Commissioner, District 4, Ramsey County Board of Commissioners
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About Saint Paul Public Library (https://sppl.org)
Saint Paul Public Library is a public library system and department of city government serving the Saint Paul community. Our mission is to welcome all people to connect, learn, discover, and grow. Our organizational vision, co-created with community, imagines a Saint Paul where all people feel seen, safe, and welcome; a city where libraries bring people together to experience hope, joy, and creativity through learning.
About Ujamaa Place (www.ujamaaplace.org)
Ujamaa Place is an organization focused on young African American men in Saint Paul (primarily between the ages of 18 and 30), many of whom suffer multiple barriers to becoming stable, productive members of the community. These barriers include being undereducated, unemployed and/or unemployable, affiliated with gangs, a criminal history, homelessness, drug use, and a general marginalization by greater society.