The Chippewa Valley’s 2020 Juneteenth celebration will begin at 9 a.m. June 19 and will be facilitated through a Zoom meeting. The day’s events will culminate with a "Community Conversation on Race, Education and Policing in Everyday Life" from 6:30-8 p.m., which will focus on three primary issues: police brutality, education on race issues and race in everyday life. The event will bring together area residents to celebrate their commitment toward a more united community enriched by its diversity.
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery in the U.S. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 that Union soldiers, led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and the enslaved were now free. Today, Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions join to acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society.
The schedule of events is as follows:
- 9 a.m.-noon: How the Past Meets the Present: Race Issues in American History.
- Noon-1:30 p.m.: Media Coverage of Race Issues and Protest (panel discussion).
- 1:30-3 p.m.: Breakout Training Sessions: Having Critical Race Discussions; Nonviolent Protesting; and Unconscious Bias.
- 3-4:30 p.m.: De-Escalation Training sponsored by the L.E. Phillips Public Library.
- 4:30-5:30 p.m.: Combined Juneteenth and Dedication Ceremony from the City of Altoona.
- 5:30-6:30 p.m.: Juneteenth Musical Interlude, featuring Irie Sol, Naalia and Collective Choir.
- 6:30-8 p.m.: Community Conversation on Race, Education and Policing in Everyday Life
Uniting Bridges of Eau Claire organizes the Chippewa Valley’s Juneteenth celebration each year. This year, the event is sponsored by the City of Eau Claire; City of Altoona; Converge Radio; UW-Eau Claire Chancellor’s Office, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Affirmative Action Office and history department; and Visit Eau Claire (among others).
All events will be presented through Zoom. Please reserve tickets online. The event also will be livestreamed from the Tomme Suab Facebook page.
For more information, visit the Juneteenth 2020 Facebook page or contact Dr. Selika Ducksworth-Lawton, UW-Eau Claire professor of history, at 715-836-4886 or duckswsm@uwec.edu.
