Kujichagulia Madison Center for Self Determination, a non-profit that promotes African-American cultural and educational events, is inviting the greater Madison community to celebrate Juneteenth 2021 at its annual Juneteenth parade and celebration at Penn Park on Saturday, June 19.
Starting Monday, June 14, there will be a whole week of Juneteenth activities – both virtual and in-person programming – to promote political responsibility, educational advancement, economic sufficiency, good health, social responsibility and collective well-being within the Madison Black community.
(Photo by A. David Dahmer)
“It is our goal to ensure each year, the Juneteenth Celebration will continue to exemplify and reflect that resilience, which has contributed to the transformative experiences of all Americans,” said longtime Madison Juneteenth organizer Annie Weatherby-Flowers in a statement. “Thus, our theme — ‘Juneteenth 2021…Black Resilience: Rising from the Ashes!’”
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, a day when African-American slaves in Texas were told by Union forces that they were free. They were the final group of slaves to realize their freedom. Deep in the Confederacy, they were unaware of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation almost two years earlier. A celebration of the day has been held annually in Texas ever since, which eventually spread to other states.
Weatherby-Flowers and Mona Winston founded Kujichagulia in 2006 and have been hosting the annual Juneteenth celebration for more than 30 years.
“Madison Juneteenth is the one event that is totally dedicated to the celebration of the lived experiences and accomplishments of Black Americans historically and presently here in Madison and across the nation,” said Weatherby-Flowers. “We are aware of the challenges that impact Black Americans living in Madison and Dane County, but adversity is not new to our community.”
Volunteers are needed for Juneteenth 2021 in all capacities. For more information, click here.
