Purdue University Northwest commemorates Juneteenth with celebration open to the public

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) will celebrate Juneteenth from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 19 at the Student Union & Library concourse and plaza, 2233 173rd St., Hammond. The event is free and open to the public.

The celebration is an opportunity for those attending to learn more about this pivotal point in American history. The event will feature live music, food, games, prizes, crafts and special character appearances.

Juneteenth takes its name from combining the words June and nineteenth, the date on which the event is celebrated. It commemorates the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved people in the United States. On this date in 1865, Union soldiers led by Major General Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the Civil War had ended and all enslaved people were free. This occurred nearly two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which went into effect on January 1, 1863. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.

Information about PNW’s Juneteenth celebration can be found online at pnw.edu/celebrating-juneteenth.