Juneteenth is Wednesday, June 19. The national holiday honors the day all enslaved people learned of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Through the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect Jan. 1, 1863, not everyone in the Confederate territory was immediately set free. It was not until June 19, 1865 when 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas and announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved people were free by executive decree, according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. This day became known as Juneteenth. It became an official national holiday in 2021 under President Joe Biden.
For the second year in a row, the NAACP of Springfield and Community Partnership of the Ozarks are hosting a three-day festival to celebrate Juneteenth. The festival kicks off on Friday with the Turnt Up Tour at the Gillioz Theatre. Outside of the festival, there are several other Juneteenth activities planned around Springfield next week.
Turnt Up Tour
When: Friday, June 14 at 7 p.m.
Where: Gillioz Theatre at 325 Park Central East
Springfield's three-day Juneteenth festival kicks off with the Turnt Up Tour at the Gillioz Theatre. The concert will feature Twista, Ying Yang Twins and Paul Wall. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are available on the Gillioz Theatre website, ranging between $25-30.
Carl Mitchell, more commonly known by his stage name Twista, is an American rapper who specializes in the chopping style, a subgenre of hip-hop featuring fast-paced rhyming and rapping. Twista's top singles include "Overnight Celebrity," "Adrenaline Rush" and "Slow Jamz."
The Ying Yang Twins, a rap group comprised of Kaine and D-Roc, are most popularly known for their collaboration with Lil Jon on the hit single, "Get Low." Independently, the Twins — who are not actually biological twins — have released popular singles like "Salt Shaker," "Wait" and "Say I Yi Yi."
Paul Slayton, who performs under the stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper and DJ. His most popular singles include "Break Em' Off," "Sitting Sidewayz" and "Swangin in the Rain."
Juneteenth Community Celebration
When: Saturday, June 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Springfield Expo Center at 635 E. St. Louis St.
The city-wide Juneteenth Community Celebration, hosted by Community Partnership of the Ozarks and the NAACP of Springfield, will feature an array of family-friendly activities, resources, speakers and live music. Grammy Award nominee Nappy Roots will close out the celebration.
More:Juneteenth, Ozarks Pridefest and 20+ other things to do around Springfield this June
The Milly Project Film Screening and Q&A
When: Saturday, June 15 at 6 p.m.
Where: Springfield Art Museum at 1111 E. Brookside Drive
The Milly Project is hosting a film screening and Q&A with its performers following the Juneteenth Community Celebration on Saturday. The Milly Project tells the story of an enslaved Black woman, Milly Sawyers, in Springfield who won her freedom around the year 1835. This would have been right after the creation of the Greene County Court and before the Supreme Court's decision on Dred Scott.
A yellow, handwritten court manuscript telling Sawyers' story remained shelved for years until archivist Connie Forbis Yen and former News-Leader reporter Giacomo Bologna shared it with the community in 2018.
More:What was Springfield like when Milly Sawyers lived here? Experts, records give context
Silver Springs Park Programs and Projects Tour
When: Sunday, June 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Timmons Hall at 1055 E. Webster St.
In collaboration with the city-wide festival, the Springfield-Greene County Park Board is hosting a programs and projects tour at Silver Springs Park on Sunday. The tour will feature the park's new pavilion and amphitheater, exhibitions on the park's history, container gardening and digital story mapping. The digital program will share stories, map locations and video clips of the park's history. Tours are free and popcorn will be served as a refreshment.
Juneteenth Gospel Choir Celebration
When: Sunday, June 16 at 4 p.m.
Where: Washington Avenue Baptist Church at 1722 N. National Ave.
A gospel choir concert is at Washington Avenue Baptist Church on Sunday evening.
Celebrations of Africa
When: June 16, 19, 20, 22 and 29
Where: Pan African Historical Museum at 1500 Main St.
The Kingdom Woman Finishing School, a "biblically-inspired, finishing school of self-mastery and divinity" is hosting numerous programs honoring African culture throughout the month of June at the Pan African Historical Museum:
- Sunday, June 16 at 4 p.m.: Symbols of Royalty in Africa: The African Headdress Royal Families
- Wednesday, June 19 at 6 p.m.: Afro Beats Dance Class
- Wednesday, June 19 at 6 p.m.: Haitian Chakacha (Bellydance): African Femininity Dance Class
- Thursday, June 20 at 6 p.m.: Juneteenth Generational Wealth Bootcamp
- Saturday, June 22 at 1 p.m.: Best Painting Workshop: Celebrations of Africa
- Saturday, June 29 at 1 p.m.: A History of African Inventors and Innovators within the African Diaspora
Tickets for each event are available for purchase on Eventbrite.
Freedom Fest
When: Wednesday, June 19 at noon
Where: Founders Park at 330 E. Water St.
Springfield's annual Juneteenth Freedom Fest, held on the holiday itself, will feature vendors, live music, free giveaways and food. Several community leaders will be speaking throughout the day-long festival, too.
Multicultural Freedom Unity Celebration
When: Saturday, June 22 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: Jordan Valley Park at 811 E. Trafficway St.
United Community Change, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting marginalized individuals to the land, their homes and their community, is hosting a freedom unity celebration in conjunction with the Juneteenth Community Celebration. The celebration will feature various local vendors
Greta Cross is the trending topicsreporter for the SpringfieldNews-Leader. She has more than five years of journalism experience covering everything from Ozarks history to Springfield’s LGBTQIA+ community. Follow her onX and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her atgcross@news-leader.com.
