To commemorate Juneteenth, UC San Diego is inviting all members of the community to a four-day celebration of art and music beginning Sunday.

The event will kick off from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday at the UC San Diego Park and Market. Organizers promised a fun-filled day of activities ranging from Black-owned business markets to panel discussions exploring the meaning of liberation in the 21st century.

There will be live music throughout the day, concluding with a neo soul performance by local musicians. The celebration is free and open to the public, with complimentary food and drinks. Door-to-door access is available from campus to UC San Diego Park and Market by picking up the Blue Line Trolley at the UC San Diego Central Campus Station, adjacent to the Epstein Family Amphitheater.

Day two will be presented at the Epstein Family Amphitheater showcasing a journey through the evolution of Black music. During the free event at 7:30 p.m. Monday, audiences will explore the cultural traditions that Black communities carry through music and how these traditions educate and encourage future generations.

On Day Three, the UCSD Black Staff Association will host the 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration and Black Excellence Awards, honoring the rich traditions of Black culture, excellence and the distinctive works of award recipients. The theme for 2023 is Hip Hop, Liberation and Kujichagulia, which will focus on education, signature dishes and the historical relevance of soulful music. The event will take place at Price Center East Ballroom from 2-4 p.m. Tuesday.

The celebration concludes Wednesday with a closing symposium activity and workshop. The symposium will begin at 10 a.m. and run until 3 p.m., and is aimed to start conversations on how decolonization might enhance the Black student experience at UCSD. Keynote speaker Stephen Quaye, a professor from Ohio State University, will facilitate a workshop centered on re-imagining how to support Black students. The event will take place at The Forum in Price Center East.

Celebrated on June 19, Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Also known as Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day and Freedom Day, it marks the day in 1865 when Union Army Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce that the last of the enslaved people in the Confederacy were free. That news was shared nearly two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

“Juneteenth is an important recognition of a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. It offers all of us the opportunity to come together to acknowledge and honor the diverse, lived experiences of the Black community,” UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla said. “It also is a time to reaffirm our collective commitment to actively combating racism and discrimination on our campus and beyond.”

— City News Service