Centre County to take part in Juneteenth celebrations with online and in-person events

The State College area will officially celebrate Juneteenth for the first time Friday, with online and in-person events planned at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza in downtown State College.

Running from noon-2 p.m., events are set to include speeches, musical performances, prayers and art to mark the holiday that celebrates the day in 1865 that enslaved Black people learned they had been freed from bondage.

It’s the first large-scale, public event held by the State College NAACP, which was established in January.

“We are very excited about the ... inaugural Juneteenth,” State College NAACP President Lorraine Jones wrote in an email. “(The) State College chapter of the NAACP was so pleased to hear that Governor Tom Wolf signed Act 9 (designating June 19 as ‘Juneteenth National Freedom Day’) last year and we are even more excited to learn that Mayor Filippelli has made a proclamation of Juneteenth locally.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic caused the State College NAACP to limit its vision of the event somewhat, Jones said the celebration is especially timely as nationwide and local protests demanding justice for Black lives taken by police brutality persist.

“Right now, the African American community is hurting,” Jones said in a news release. “We need something positive happening to reflect on and give us hope. Juneteenth 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.”

The in-person event will also be livestreamed at www.strategiesjustice.com/juneteenth, and the aim of the event is to be both entertaining and educational.

Performances involving area youth and “older generations” will explore the context of Juneteenth, Jones said. Spiritual songs, poetry readings and monologues are just a few types of performances that attendees can expect.

“The theme is ‘Trust The Struggle,’ which is a reminder of the African American past, present and future struggle for our freedom and equity. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about Juneteenth but I also encourage those that are unfamiliar with (the) significance of Juneteenth do some reading to find out why it is so important to the African Americans people and culture,” she said.

While the State College NAACP is in its infancy, Jones said this is the first event of many planned.

“We have several events planned for the future including a voter registration drive,” Jones said. “We also have several educational opportunities for our community members to learn more about the NAACP and how they can continue to support Black lives and our Black youth.”

And the organization is already looking toward annual Juneteenth celebrations in Centre County.

“We are already excited and planning for next year,” Jones said.

Those who attend the in-person events Friday are asked to respect the space of those around them, follow social distancing guidelines and wear a face mask.

For more information, visit the event page on Facebook.

This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 4:45 PM.