'Power and Policy' theme of UofL's second annual Juneteenth commemoration events

A year after the University of Louisville, along with the federal government and numerous other organizations, recognized Juneteenth as an official holiday, the Cardinal community will have an opportunity to take part in a robust schedule of events commemorating the delayed emancipation of enslaved people in the United States on June 19, 1865.

United around this year’s theme of 'Power and Policy', organizers hope to inspire change through vision, voice and vote.

“Juneteenth is a prime example of how policy change can shift power from the oppressor to the oppressed,” said Riece Hamilton, president of the UofL Black Faculty/Staff Association. “We want the campus and community to recognize the force we have when we collectively come together for the good of all. We understand that fighting against injustice for any group of people benefits all groups of people.”

The week of events leading up to Juneteenth will kick-off with a lecture by author, activist, educator and historian Mary Frances Berry who will deliver the keynote titled, “Free at Last?”

As chairperson of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, Berry led the charge for equal rights and liberties of all Americans during four U.S. presidential administrations. She also served as assistant secretary for education in the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

Berry is a founder of the monumental Free South Africa Movement (FSAM), and received the Nelson Mandela award from the South African Government for her role in organizing the FSAM, raising global awareness of South African injustice that helped to end over 40 years of apartheid.

A trailblazer for women and African Americans, she became the first woman to lead a major research university as chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder. She now teaches the history of American law and social policy as the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought at the University of Pennsylvania.

Visit the Juneteenth Events Channel to learn more and register for the following events:

Juneteenth Lecture Series
Keynote: Mary Frances Berry
June 13, noon; Cardinal Stadium, PNC Club
*streaming available

Juneteenth and Cash Bail: Fighting for Freedom
A panel discussion focused on Juneteenth, cash bail, and racial justice work.
June 14, noon; Porter Building, ED 239
*streaming available

Red and Black on the Green
Celebratory luncheon and Black business owners vendor fair
June 16, 11:30 a.m.; near Grawemeyer Hall

Tom Owen's Historical Black UofL Walking Tour
A tour around campus designed to highlight historical points around UofL relative to Blacks/African Americans
June 17, noon; meet at the Ekstrom Library

Back to our Roots: Roots 101 Museum Tour
Step into the narrative and take a journey through the African American experience; free admission.
June 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Roots 101 Museum

Power of Prayer: Virtual Church Service at Burnett Avenue Church
Join us for a virtual worship service to give thanks for how far we have come and the blessings in store for the future.
June 19, 11 a.m.; virtual event 

At the Crossroads: A History of Black Health in Louisville
This exhibit explores the establishment of health care facilities by and for Black Louisvillians in the late 19th and 20th centuries.
On display now; Ekstrom Library

The Black Faculty/Staff Association along with the Commission on Diversity and Racial Equity (CODRE), Commonwealth Credit Union, Cultural Center, Office of Community Engagement, Office of Diversity and Equity, Office of the President, UofL Standing Up for Racial Justice (UofL SURJ) and various university sponsors are presenters of the second annual Juneteenth week of 'Power and Policy'.

“This week should be a reminder that the people hold the power now and forever; it is what we do with it that matters,” Hamilton said.