Mavericks came together in song, dance and reflection for the annual Juneteenth Festival at The University of Texas at Arlington. It was an afternoon of celebration and remembrance of the history and meaning of Juneteenth.
Juneteenth, a combination of "June" and "nineteenth," has been a day of celebration for more than 150 years. The day commemorates June 19, 1865, when news of the federal order ending slavery in the United States reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas. This was more than two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in January 1863.
It became a federal holiday in 2021; this year's holiday is Monday, June 19. As Juneteenth celebrations spark throughout the country to celebrate, remember and reflect, Mavericks at UTA reflected on what Juneteenth means to them.
Taylor Tracy, sophomore and second vice president of the campus NAACP chapter, said Juneteenth means independence and freedom.
"Juneteenth was when our ancestors had their freedom," she said. "It's important to celebrate Juneteenth because it serves as a reminder that we are all equal. It makes me feel good knowing my college campus is celebrating something so important, and it shows how strong the Black community is."
Incoming freshman Michaela McClendon was on campus for New Maverick Orientation and happened upon the Juneteenth Festival with her family. She said it's nice to know as an incoming student that her culture is represented and appreciated.
"To me, celebrating Juneteenth means that what my ancestors went through is not just in the past, and it's still impacting me today. We celebrate how far we've come, where we are, and where we're going," McClendon said.
Student Body Vice President Andre Clay said that, to him, Juneteenth means community. Being surrounded by such a strong one on his college campus makes him feel proud.
"It took the Black community so long to have this holiday recognized across the whole nation. Now that it's recognized we need to take full advantage of it and come together as a community," Clay said. "Our community fought for this, and we need to stand on that and continue to shine on this day. I wanted to be here to see the University and the community come together to celebrate and acknowledge."
