LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) presented their first ever “Juneteenth in the Bluff” event, partnered with the City of Pine Bluff.
Vendors, families and entertainers flooded the downtown area to celebrate the day enslaved African Americans in Texas learned they were free in the 1800s.
Volunteers and planners created a family-friendly environment, including a kid’s zone, several options for food, a great deal of music, and dancing and smiling faces seen throughout the event.
Event volunteer from UAPB Teki Hunt shares the importance of the history of Juneteenth to UAPB, saying the university was founded the year after the liberation in Texas.
“So, after the enslaved persons were finally liberated in the state of Texas, UAPB was founded that very next year, giving opportunity for those who had been enslaved that didn’t have the opportunity to go to any other university,” Hunt says.
To celebrate the holiday, Hunt says many vendors joined in on the excitement together downtown. With everything from food to activities, she describes it as fun for the whole family.
“It’s for the whole family to come out. There are things for kids to do. There’s plenty of water. We don’t want anybody to get dehydrated. And there’s all these different activities. Oh, and take the samples that the Saracen chefs are doing. I’ve tasted from the farm to table and it’s really good,” Hunt says.
UAPB Vice Chancellor George Cotton says the event brings the community together and that it is helping rebuild Pine Bluff, encouraging people to reimagine downtown.
“The reason we’re having this in downtown is because, like most small towns across the country, they’re struggling to rebuild and revitalize itself. So, when you come to the Juneteenth festival here, you’re going to be in downtown Pine Bluff, and it’s here to urge people to rethink and reimagine what the downtown area would look like,” Cotton says.
Cotton says that people traveled from multiple different states to enjoy their inaugural event, and many city officials were also present, including Mayor Shirley Washington.
