Jeffersonville celebrated 159 years of Juneteenth on Friday by hosting a free block party for the whole community.The celebration of freedom took over Michigan Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and included food, entertainment, art, shopping and family activities.”These type of events allow the neighborhood and the rest of the community to come out and see some new things, meet new people,” said Jason Lee, who was cooking up a feast on behalf of My Brotha’s BBQ.Lee had the chance to share both his food and his heritage as one of many black vendors at the Juneteenth Block Party.”It’s so important for us as black people, and then for others, to learn about our culture,” Miss Black Kentucky USA, Sophia Crowder, told WLKY. “Our culture is something that is to be celebrated.”Visual artist, L.J. Bryant, said he was proud to show off his artwork during the event, as well as the significance the Juneteenth federal holiday.”It just signifies the day that we decided to to stand on our own and do our own thing and actually take control of our lives,” said Bryant.Juneteenth, which is officially June 19th, marks when the last enslaved people in Texas were told they were freed in 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.”This is just that bridge, an opportunity for us to celebrate freedom,” event organizer Miguel Hampton said.According to Hampton, Friday’s free block party was designed to give everyone in southern Indiana a fun way to learn about our shared history.This was the third year of Jeffersonville’s Juneteenth Block Party.
Jeffersonville celebrated 159 years of Juneteenth on Friday by hosting a free block party for the whole community.
The celebration of freedom took over Michigan Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and included food, entertainment, art, shopping and family activities.
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“These type of events allow the neighborhood and the rest of the community to come out and see some new things, meet new people,” said Jason Lee, who was cooking up a feast on behalf of My Brotha’s BBQ.
Lee had the chance to share both his food and his heritage as one of many black vendors at the Juneteenth Block Party.
“It’s so important for us as black people, and then for others, to learn about our culture,” Miss Black Kentucky USA, Sophia Crowder, told WLKY. “Our culture is something that is to be celebrated.”
Visual artist, L.J. Bryant, said he was proud to show off his artwork during the event, as well as the significance the Juneteenth federal holiday.
“It just signifies the day that we decided to to stand on our own and do our own thing and actually take control of our lives,” said Bryant.
Juneteenth, which is officially June 19th, marks when the last enslaved people in Texas were told they were freed in 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
“This is just that bridge, an opportunity for us to celebrate freedom,” event organizer Miguel Hampton said.
According to Hampton, Friday’s free block party was designed to give everyone in southern Indiana a fun way to learn about our shared history.
This was the third year of Jeffersonville’s Juneteenth Block Party.
