Monica Torres Chancellor of NMSU System Community Colleges | nmsu.edu
Monica Torres Chancellor of NMSU System Community Colleges | nmsu.edu
New Mexico State University’s Black Programs in the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity will collaborate with the NAACP of Doña Ana County, the NMSU Library, and the NMSU Music Department to host a series of events celebrating Juneteenth.
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
“Since then, Juneteenth has been celebrated across the country as a day of joy, reflection and resilience and now it is recognized as a federal holiday,” said Bobbie Green, president of the NAACP of Doña Ana County. “I am thrilled that the NAACP of Doña Ana County and various organizations at NMSU, including Black Programs, the Music Department and the NMSU Library have joined forces to commemorate Juneteenth... We hope to not only educate but also to entertain and empower students and community members.”
The festivities will begin on Friday, June 14 with a community barbeque hosted by NMSU’s Black Student Association from 4 to 6 p.m. at Corbett Center Student Union outdoor stage on the Las Cruces campus. The event is free and open to the public. Charles W. Smith III will be the featured speaker.
On Saturday, June 15 from 2 to 4 p.m., there will be a Juneteenth gospel showcase at NMSU’s Atkinson Recital Hall featuring university choirs, local churches, community members, and gospel recording artists The Divine Souls. This concert is also free and open to all.
Following this showcase will be a Juneteenth banquet from 6 to 8 p.m. at Las Cruces Convention Center. Mitch Boyer, a distinguished historian and descendant of New Mexico's first African American residents will deliver the keynote speech. Tickets for this event are $75 per person and can be purchased online.
An exhibit titled “Launching of a Legacy: Black Programs and Community,” curated by NMSU alumna Lauretta King will open on Wednesday, June 19 at Branson Library with an opening reception starting at 2 p.m. The exhibit documents the history of NMSU’s Black Programs over fifty years through various memorabilia.
“The Black Programs Collection serves as a tangible record of the existence of an active African American student community at NMSU over a 50-year period,” King said.
NMSU’s Men of Color Initiative will host a dance workshop led by Soriba Fofana on June 19 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in Rentfrow Hall Room 103A focusing on African dance history.
The celebrations conclude with a Jazz Cultural Series hosted by alumnus Derrick Lee:
- Thursday, June 20: Juneteenth Jazz Jam at Amador Live.
- Friday, June 21: Tony Trejo and Tenia Nelson Trio at Plaza de Las Cruces.
- Saturday, June 22: Lush Life Quintet at Branigan Cultural Center; BAM Showcase at Atkinson Hall.
- Sunday, June 23: Soledad Canyon at Thomas Branigan Memorial Library; Joe Dunn Big Band at Plaza de Las Cruces.
For further information about these events contact NMSU Black Programs via email or phone provided above.
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