On today's edition of Bring It On!, hosts Clarence Boone and Liz Mitchell spend the hour with Andrew Shannon, City of Bloomington Director of Safe and Civil Cities, and Bring It On Contributor, Dr. Gloria Howell, director of the IU Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, to discuss Bloomingtons's celebration of Juneteenth.

Andrew Shannon, City of Bloomington Director of Safe and Civil Cities

Dr. Gloria Howell, Director of the IU Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center

The City of Bloomington invites the community to celebrate Juneteenth from 2 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 13,  at Switchyard Park, 1601 S. Rogers St.  The event is a free and family-friendly way to honor Black Americans' history, resilience, and culture.  The holiday marks the historic moment on June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to proclaim the freedom of enslaved Black Americans, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Long celebrated by Black communities, Juneteenth became the 11th official federal holiday in 2021, recognizing its enduring importance in American history.

 



This year’s celebration will feature live entertainment beginning at 6:10 p.m. with DJ Darran Mosley, followed by a performance by Troy Thomas and Trumusiq at 7:15 p.m. Guests are invited to explore a vibrant vendor market featuring Black-owned businesses, enjoy a variety of food options from food truck vendors, and take part in health and wellness services provided on-site by the Bloomington Fire Department’s Mobile Integrated Health and Indiana University Hoosier Health Check teams. All activities will take place outdoors at Switchyard Park. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets and enjoy a meaningful celebration of freedom, culture, and unity. For more information, visit the City of Bloomington Juneteenth webpage at bloomington.in.gov/Juneteenth.

Credits:
Today’s hosts are Clarence Boone and Liz Mitchell.
Our show’s executive producer is Clarence Boone.
Our assistant producer is Liz Mitchell.
Our consultant and WFHB News Department Director is Kade Young.
Our program engineer is Chantalle LaFontant.
Our original theme music was created by Jamyl Efiom, with additional background tracks by David Baker.