State College NAACP to Host Region’s First Juneteenth Celebration

The State College NAACP will host the region’s first event commemorating Juneteenth on Friday, with a mix of online and offline events.

Prayers, speeches, musical performances and art will kick off at noon at the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on South Fraser Street in State College. That will be followed by a virtual event at strategiesjustice.com/juneteenth.

Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved African Americans in 1865. While celebrations are common elsewhere, this is the first in the State College area.

The State College chapter of the NAACP was established in January. President Lorraine Jones said the Juneteenth celebration is a positive event and a reminder of hope during a difficult time, as recent police killings of unarmed black men and women have brought a history of racial injustice and police brutality into the spotlight.

“Right now, the African American community is hurting,’ Jones said. ‘We need something positive happening to reflect on and give us hope. Juneteeth is a very timely reminder of our heritage and great strength; like our ancestors, we must trust the struggle and know joy comes in the morning.”

Those attending the live event are asked to wear masks and abide by social distancing guidelines. It also will be live streamed at facebook.com/StateCollegeNAACP

Last year, Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law Act 9 which designated June 19 as “Juneteenth National Freedom Day” in Pennsylvania.