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Second Annual Juneteenth Freedom Festival at Emory & Henry College to Feature Gospel Sensations and Free Family-Friendly Activities on Campus

by Haley Arni

Emory & Henry College, in collaboration with the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, Middle Fork Records, and the Appalachian Peace Education Center, is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated second annual Juneteenth Festival, a vibrant celebration of freedom, culture, and community.

The free festival will take place on Saturday, June 17, 2023, from 12 to 5 p.m. on the Emory, Va. campus, and invites the public to join in commemorating the historic Juneteenth holiday. The festival will follow the theme “How to Do Better,” in honor of Squire Miller Henry.

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, marks the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. This year’s festival is set to honor this significant moment in history while highlighting the achievements, contributions, and resilience of the African American community.

The festival will be held at the center of campus in front of the Van Dyke Center at the Duck Pond Lawn and will include a local food truck. The event will kick off with a welcome message from John Holloway, vice president for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, followed by Dr. John W. Wells, president of Emory & Henry College. The festival will be emceed by Pastor William Ward.

The Juneteenth Festival will be a day filled with joy, empowerment, and cultural appreciation, featuring a dynamic lineup of activities, performances, and interactive experiences for all ages. Attendees can expect a diverse range of attractions, including a gospel performance by The Gospel Sensations, an inflatable, arts, crafts and a vendor marketplace. An interactive drum circle will also take place and attendees are invited to bring a drum and participate. The festival will also feature Juneteenth Celebration award presentations, a cake walk, a silent auction and presentations on the history and meaning of Juneteenth.

For more information about the festival and Emory & Henry’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, please visit www.ehc.edu/juneteenth or contact John Holloway, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at (276) 944-6772. Registration is not necessary and the event will take place rain or shine. Attendees are also encouraged to bring a chair or outdoor blanket.

About Squire Henry Miller:

Squire Miller Henry was born into slavery in 1845 in Rockbridge County, Virginia, to Woodrow and Francis Henry. In 1868, a few years after the end of the Civil War, he made his way to Washington County to work as a farm laborer for John Buchanan, who was teaching at Emory & Henry College. He soon came to work for the College as a porter and laborer and continued to work at E&H for 50 years. One of the many jobs Henry performed daily was to deliver coal to maintain the warmth of the halls of campus. In April of 1871, Henry married Mary Ann Brown, performed by the College president at the time, E.E. Wiley. Together they had 14 children and resided in Blacksburg, Virginia. In his later life, he was honored with multiple citations and recognitions from the Emory & Henry community. Henry died in his Blacksburg home in December 1923. Today, his legacy continues to live on throughout the College and his descendants, four of whom have worked at E&H and one who is currently employed, and five of which graduated from the College, including one, Chandler Foster, ’24 that is currently enrolled. At the Emory & Henry 2023 commencement ceremony, Squire Miller Henry was honored with a Posthumous Doctorate of Divinity degree. The degree was accepted on behalf of Henry by his eldest living descendant, Marie Lampkins (’90), and celebrated by over 70 family members in attendance. This year’s commencement ceremony also marked 100 years since the passing of Henry. On Saturday, June 17, 2023, Squire Miller Henry will be honored again at the College’s second annual Juneteenth Freedom Festival.

Open gallery

The Juneteenth Freedom Festival is Saturday, June 17 from 12-5 p.m. at the Emory Campus Duck Pond.
The Juneteenth Freedom Festival is Saturday, June 17 from 12-5 p.m. at the Emory Campus Duck Pond.

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