Kalamazoo Valley Museum to Host Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum will host a celebration to commemorate the history of Juneteenth on June 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. Free and open to all ages, this family-friendly event will include live performances, vendors, visual arts, and lectures.

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to June 19, 1865, Juneteenth was established by African Americans and is observed annually in remembrance of emancipation.

The Museum’s Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom will offer a myriad of performances from local Southwest Michigan artists. Juneteenth attendees can expect a mix of soul, R&B, hip hop, jazz, and African music performances as well as poetry and spoken word. Performers include Jon GodLee, The Rooted Youth Dance Company, Sherridan Harris, Nezi, Samuel Nalangirla, DeKwan Morris, Aundrea Sayrie, Naomi Culpepper, and Destiny Clark. Performances are hosted by Dana M. Hudson.

Kalamazoo resident and artist Yolonda Lavender of Soul Artistry LLC first began organizing Juneteenth celebrations in Kalamazoo in 2012. This year, she has curated a visual art exhibition in honor of the Juneteenth Celebration. The showcase includes visual artists from Southwest Michigan who utilize varying mediums and subject matters. Works created by Dr. Bibilomo Jimoh, Charlotte Bishop, Artrella Cohn, Jaziel Pugh, and Darien Burress will be displayed.

Michelle S. Johnson, Ph.D., will present the talk “Contentious Celebration: Histories of Juneteenth.” Jacob Pinney-Johnson will lead a discussion about Juneteenth and the history of race and racism in the US and Southwest Michigan/Kalamazoo.

“I grew up always very aware of and educated about my history and heritage as it relates to African Americans and the African Diaspora,” Lavender said of her desire to organize Juneteenth events. “This awareness has evoked a desire for me to focus my efforts on lifting up Black culture and amplifying important contributions and accomplishments that often go unrecognized. I think it's important for African descendants to be aware of the history and importance of Juneteenth as well as the entire community to be educated about this essential celebration.”

Admission to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 230 N. Rose Street, Kalamazoo, is free. The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and is governed by its Board of Trustees.