The Center for Black Literature & Culture invites the public to the Book Fest and Juneteenth Celebration

The Center for Black Literature & Culture at Central Library invites the public to the 6th annual Book Fest and Juneteenth Celebration, taking place June 17, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. This event will celebrate the African American experience by bringing together poets, visual artists, storytellers, musicians, and book clubs to emphasize cultural literacy.

Attendees can meet local authors like the nationally celebrated Maurice Broaddus and hear a moderated conversation about the history of Juneteenth by Galveston native Fay Williams, Esq. There will be a free 360 photobooth with DJ IN4RED and activities for kids in the Learning Curve to engage families.

“Celebrating Juneteenth is important because it shows how far we’ve come from slavery,” said Amira Malcom, project manager of the Center for Black Literature & Culture. “We really enjoy digging into opportunities to engage with the community and share knowledge about little-known aspects of this national holiday and the context of its becoming. Being able to partner with local artists and writers is icing on the cake.”

Juneteenth, officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, has long been celebrated to commemorate the day federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865, two years after President Lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation, to take control of the state and ensure that more than 250,000 enslaved people were freed by executive decree.

The Indy Book Fest & Juneteenth Celebration is sponsored by the Library's African American History Committee in support of the Center for Black Literature & Culture at Central Library. The creation of the CBLC was made possible by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.