The Merze Tate Explorers joins Jermaine Jackson in a celebration of history and art in the 2nd Annual Juneteenth Celebration in Kalamazoo. The event, themed, Black Fathers Matter, will be held from Noon to 6 p.m., Saturday, June 19th in Arcadia Creek Festival Site in downtown Kalamazoo, the 156th anniversary of Juneteenth. The event celebrates fathers through art and entertainment.

“After the killing of African American George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minn. in 2020, and countless others, we want to create awareness for Black fathers,” said Jackson, a Kalamazoo native.

Jackson founded the Juneteenth interactive art event in 2020 in the wake of the Black Lives Matter Movement. His efforts to bring awareness to the murder of George Floyd and other African Americans at the hands of police, turned into an art movement. Artists from Kalamazoo joined in to create works of art that celebrated the lives of those slain at the hands of law enforcement. The interest in the works of art led Jackson to adding an auction aspect to this year’s event. Artists will create works which will be auctioned. Proceeds from the event will go to support local artists.

Juneteenth began with the freedom of slaves in Texas in 1865; more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. That announcement led to annual celebrations across the country by African Americans in celebration of freedom from slavery.

To contribute to this event, donations earmarked will be collected through the Merze Tate Explorers, fiscal sponsor for the event. Donations can be made through the following methods:

Paypal
CashApp – $MerzeTateExplorers
GivingLoop (Also see DONATE to Juneteenth link on Home Page)

For more information contact Jermaine Jackson at: