USU to Host Multiple Activities in Celebration of Juneteenth

LOGAN, Utah — Utah State University is pleased to announce its events marking the Juneteenth holiday. USU’s fourth annual celebration will include several days of activities and educational opportunities that are open to all USU students, faculty, staff and the public.

USU will commemorate Juneteenth with a series of in-person events from June 16 to June 20. These events will include a USU Alumni Band Concert, a Community BBQ, the Juneteenth Mignon Barker Richmond Memorial 5k and Fun Run, the "San Francisco: The Golden Years 1930-1960" exhibition, and "The Roots of American Music" interactive workshop.

“With each of these activities, we hope people can increase a sense of awareness of who they are themselves, where they fit within a larger whole, and where they can work together with communities to build a sense of belonging within the Aggie family and within our nation as a whole,” said Isaiah Jones, director of Inclusive Excellence.

Juneteenth commemorates the complete enforcement of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery. Also known as “Emancipation Day,” Juneteenth marks the day when the Emancipation Proclamation was enforced in Texas, ending slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865. Though long celebrated in Black communities, the holiday has recently gained more widespread acknowledgement.

In March 2022, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox designated Juneteenth as an official state holiday, and the date was subsequently announced as an official USU campus holiday.

Sunday, June 16 — Juneteenth Kickoff | Celebrate

Join the USU Alumni Band at 7pm as they return to the Quad to kick off their summer concert series on Sunday, June 16th. The performance will feature music highlighting the contributions of black composers over the past 100 years as well as a special performance by Brandon Foxworth from USU's own Lyric Repertory Company.

Wednesday, June19th— Celebrate & Educate

Honor and celebrate the legacy of Mignon Barker Richmond (USU Alum 1921), the first African American student to graduate from a university in the State of Utah, by participating in our annual 5K and Fun Run. The fun run will begin at 8 a.m., with the 5K to follow at 8:30 a.m. 80% of the proceeds from the 5K and Fun Run will go towards a memorial in her honor to be located in the USU Logan Campus. The other 20% of the proceeds will go towards future Juneteenth programming. Donate to the Mignon Barker Richmond memorial.

5 – 9 pm | Bridger Park, Logan Utah

Come together in unity and solidarity at the annual Juneteenth Community BBQ, catered by 5-Star BBQ. Enjoy games and activities for families and children of all ages. Food served at 6 p.m. and this event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, June 20th | Activate

7 - 9:00 pm | TSC Ballroom

An interactive workshop that explores the impact of African Americans on the American Music Landscape. From the plantation fields to the present day, we will take you on a sensory journey where you will hear, see, feel, sing and get up and dance. A celebration on music that will sooth the soul.

June 18, 2024 - June 30, 2025

The exhibition, San Francisco: The Golden Years 1930-1960, is drawn exclusively from the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art collection. NEHMA's collection, with its focus on the art of the western United States, is ideally suited to provide in-depth examples of art from this little-known period in art history. This is the first major exhibition and publication to look at the pivotal and colorful history of the SFAA.

This exhibition is co-curated by Michael Duncan, art historian, writer, and critic, and Bolton Colburn, the NEHMA curator of collections and exhibitions. The publication accompanying the exhibition with essays by Michael Duncan is published by the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

For more information on USU’s celebration and complete information on the various events, visit USU's Juneteenth event web page.