UArizona to celebrate Juneteenth with a month full of events
Over the past two years, the Arizona Athletics Juneteenth Shoe Drive has collected over 800 pairs of shoes for those in need.
The University of Arizona will celebrate Juneteenth throughout the month with a lecture series, food tasting event and more.
The Juneteenth holiday, which falls on June 19, commemorates the arrival of Union soldiers in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 – more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed – to announce that enslaved people in Texas were free.
The university began observing Juneteenth as a paid holiday in 2023.
The following talks, hosted by the university's Office of Black Advancement and Engagement, will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays throughout June and are free and open to the public.
- June 4: "Beyond Juneteenth: The Legacy of Juneteenth" | Lehman Benson, Vice President, Black Advancement and Engagement
- June 11: "Beyond Juneteenth: Why Everyone Can Celebrate" | Tani Sanchez, Professor of Practice, Department of Africana Studies
- June 18: "History of Juneteenth – Historical Context" | Johnny Bowens, Senior Lecturer, Department of Africana Studies
Each lecture will be held in the Pima Room on level three of the Student Union Memorial Center.
Lehman Benson, vice president, Black advancement and engagement
"Our lecture series will allow the community to celebrate the history and legacy of Juneteenth as well as Black history in Tucson and the Southwest," said Lehman Benson, vice president for Black advancement and engagement. "The recognition and celebration of Juneteenth illustrates the university's core value of inclusion, and I'm proud to be part of an institution that makes that commitment."
Arizona Athletics Shoe Drive
In partnership with the Tucson Juneteenth Festival, Arizona Athletics will hold its third annual Juneteenth Shoe Drive on June 15 at the McKale Center Ticket Office. Community members are invited to donate new or gently used children's and adult shoes from 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
Thomas Harris, senior associate director for belonging and engagement, Arizona Athletics
"I've been honored to be involved with the university's official Juneteenth celebrations for the past two years, including the Arizona Athletics Shoe Drive, which has collected over 800 pairs of shoes for those in need," said Thomas Harris, senior associate director for belonging and engagement for Arizona Athletics. "Juneteenth has historically been under-recognized, and it's truly gratifying to see our university embrace its significance."
The Culture of Food
Black history and culture will be celebrated through food at the Juneteenth and Beyond – Culture of Food event on June 25 at 3 p.m. at the Student Union Memorial Center's Cork & Craft restaurant.
The cultural food tasting event will showcase the rich history and flavors of African American cuisine. Tickets are available for purchase online.
Additional Juneteenth information and resources are available at the university's Beyond Juneteenth website.
