Cabrini University’s second annual Juneteenth celebration will take place in honor of African American culture and heritage from Noon to 4 PM on Monday, June 19.

The event will explore “Independence, Freedom, and Emancipation” through ritual, music, dance, and food. Patricia Reid-Merritt, a 1973 graduate of Cabrini, author, and Distinguished Professor of Social Work and Africana Studies at Stockton University will deliver the keynote address.

The Juneteenth holiday commemorates the day in 1865 when the final enslaved Americans in Texas were freed—more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

“Juneteenth is about more than the moment the enslaved were informed of their emancipation, rather it speaks to the decades of struggle to gain liberation, freedom, and equality for all who have endured any form of racial oppression in the US,” said Reid-Merritt, who founded Cabrini’s Black Student Union as an undergraduate.

“As a poor Black girl who was plucked from the all-Black West Philadelphia neighborhood during the peak of the Civil Rights/Black Power Movements, I am delighted to return more than 50 years later as a successful example of what can be achieved when individuals are given an opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.”

The celebration is an opportunity for the Cabrini community to connect with one another on campus while sharing in African culture and history, and its importance in navigating the contemporary world.

The family-friendly event promises to stimulate the senses through Tyehimba African Drum and Dance Ensemble’s rhythms, the Foundation Singers’ soulful singing, engaging storytelling by Keepers of the Culture, and tasty eats from BBQ Clubhouse.

Lailah Dunbar, Director, Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (ODEIB), said it is also an opportunity to examine one’s own definition of freedom.

“Because of our unique history in this country, Black people must always remember that freedom is a journey,” Dunbar said.

“There is the freedom that is given through policy making; it frees the body, establishes equity, and opens the doors of opportunity in societies. This type of freedom is unreliable because it is contingent upon the wisdom and whims of human beings.”

In the event of rain, the Juneteenth festivities will take place inside the Dixon Center on campus. Registration is required to attend this free event.

Read more about the event on Cabrini University’s website.

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