City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County to Commemorate Juneteenth Freedom Day!
June 15, 2019
Next week, citizens of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County are invited to celebrate Juneteenth on Civic Plaza with a free movie screening. The event is being sponsored in part by the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County and the New Mexico Black History Organizing Committee.
The Civic Plaza Juneteenth event will feature a screening of Ava Duvernay’s award winning Netflix documentary 13th, as well as a proclamation from the Mayor Tim Keller, music from Byron Powdrell’s 99.9 TheBeat-LP-FM, Black-owned food booths (Q’s Cakes and Sweets Boutique, Nomad’s BBQ), information booths, and Kid’s Corner activities.
“This is a perfect opportunity for people from all walks of life to celebrate a holiday important to many in our community,” says Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. “We can all learn something from our nation’s history, and as we come together as One Albuquerque to celebrate Juneteenth, we mark a milestone in the fight for equality and honor the struggles of our black community.”
Juneteenth Celebration on Civic Plaza
“13th” a Netflix Documentary
Wednesday, June 19th from 5 – 9pm
Civic Plaza in Downtown Albuquerque
Michelle Melendez, Director of the City’s Office of Equity and Inclusion said, “We chose the movie 13th because of its historic and educational significance, and Civic Plaza is a great gathering place for all ages to enjoy and partake in the various activities planned for this year’s Juneteenth celebration.”
Longtime Albuquerque resident Joe Powdrell is credited with cultivating the idea of establishing a Juneteenth Celebration in Albuquerque. Juneteenth Freedom Day is not only about commemorating a historical event and celebrating a state holiday, it is also about realizing the goal of creating a beloved community – one where every citizen feels engaged and included.
“In true One Albuquerque fashion, our city continues to collectively celebrate our shared past while recognizing the distinct people, traditions and histories that make Albuquerque whole,” said Hakim Bellamy, Deputy Director, City of Albuquerque Cultural Affairs Department.
For more information about this event and other community events in celebration of Juneteenth happening around Albuquerque, visit the New Mexico Black History Organizing Committee’s website www.nmblackhistorymonth.com or call 505-407-6784.
Contact:Cathryn McGill, Founder/Director,
NM Black History Organizing Committee,
505-681-7468 | [email protected]
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Juneteenth Freedom Day is sponsored in part by the City of Albuquerque, the County of Bernalillo and the New Mexico Black History Organizing Committee (NMBHOC). NMBHOC firmly believes that “a people who lack the knowledge of their past hi June 19th, hence the name “Juneteenth” is a celebration that began 154 years ago in Galveston, Texas. It has been recognized as a holiday in New Mexico since 2006. It commemorates the events of June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, when General Gordon Granger delivered Order #3 to the people of Texas declaring that "The people are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free…..” While this news was unreasonably delayed, the move towards freedom and equality and the jubilation of the people who spent far too many enslaved years reverberates still in the community. The push for Juneteenth to become a national holiday continues. New Mexico is one of 44 that who have recognized the importance of Juneteenth in our nation’s history.