An art exhibition and block party will commemorate Juneteenth this weekend in downtown State College.
Founded by the State College Chapter of the NAACP, and hosted with the State College Borough, the Center for Performing Arts at Penn State, and the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, it will mark the fifth annual local celebration of the national holiday.
Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved African Americans on June 19, 1865. It became a state holiday in Pennsylvania in 2019 and a federal holiday in 2021.
ART EXHIBITION
The celebration kicks off from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 14, with the launch of an art exhibition at the Woskob Family Gallery, 146 S. Allen St. The exhibition will feature works by artists from Centre County and across the country, expressing visions of freedom, unity, peace and justice through a variety media.
The exhibition’s featured artist is KO, a recent Penn State graduate originally from Nigeria “whose paintings and sculptures examine the relationship between historic
events and contemporary society, and the effects of place and memory on identity,” according to a news release.
“The Annual Juneteenth Exhibition continues to grow in quality and depth of expression,” said curator Grace Hampton, professor emerita of art and former vice provost at Penn State. “When we look at the notion of emancipation in its broadest context, it is not only the emancipation of our bodies—it is the freeing of our minds to examine who we are and who we want to become through the making of images. The Annual Juneteenth exhibition is an aesthetic celebration of the search for freedom, equity, and peace, as seen through the eyes of the artist and craftsperson.”
A diverse panel will serve as judges for the exhibition, which will include works from K-12 students and adult artists. The exhibition also will feature the work of several Penn State alum, including artists Nashormeh Lindo, Leslie Sotomayer and Ramona Ward.
Awards will be announced at the opening reception, which feature West African drumming and local jazz performance by Nick Letwin and Friends
The exhibition will remain on display daily from 12:30 to 5 p.m. through July 14.
BLOCK PARTY
The Juneteenth block party will feature food, music, poetry, dance and more from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza and 100 block of South Fraser Street.
Headlining the festivities will be Bilal, the Grammy award-winning R&B neo-soul singer-songwriter and Philadelphia native. The Soulquarians member and independent singer/producer’s performance will come a day after the release of his new album, “Live at Glasshaus.”
Marching Cobras, a drumline and dancers from New York, will start the party with dynamic routines and vibrant music.
The event will also showcase a number of talented local performers, as well as vendors offering a variety of local crafts, food and merchandise.
“Celebrating Juneteenth in the Borough of State College is a vibrant weekend where our entire community comes together to honor history, embrace art, and unite through the
joyous sounds of music. It is a time to reflect, rejoice, and forge stronger bonds with our diverse community,” said Chiluvya Zulu, State College Borough director of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.”
Entertaining and educational activities for kids will be available, such as Pittsburgh-based Double Dutch Swing Squad’s showcase and tutorial. Attendees can also enjoy free cupcakes.
Organizers are still seeking a few volunteers to help with the block party. Sign up online here.
This year’s State College Juneteenth theme is “Embracing Unity and Solidarity from Sundown to Sunrise: Juneteenth A New Horizon.”
The theme, “illuminates the historical perspectives about sundown towns that mandated us to be hidden, places that were labeled unsafe or hostile toward black people,” Leslie Laing, co-founder and co-chair of the Juneteenth Commemoration committee. “Sunrise speaks to a new day dawning, hope for a prosperous future that continues to
emerge.”
“We are our ancestors’ wildest dreams and hosting a freedom festival in the middle of town allows us to highlight black culture, music and entertainment right here in Centre County.”
