Celebrate this year’s Juneteenth holiday with public events planned for both June 17 and 19 in San Luis Obispo.
Tobin Johnson, president of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) San Luis Obispo County, told New Times that the theme for this year’s festivities is “human liberation.”
“Celebrating Juneteenth was definitely a liberation for Black people, but [also] for a human liberation,” Johnson said, “where we were given the opportunity to have equal rights, in a country where for so long Black people didn’t have those opportunities.”
Enshrined as a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth honors the anniversary of the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, which officially changed the legal status of African American slaves to “free.”
This year’s headline event will take place on Saturday, June 17, in SLO’s Mission Plaza from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will feature live music, speakers, soul food, silent auctions, a resource fair, and exhibits from Black artists.
Johnson described the event as both a “jubilee” to celebrate the achievement of human liberation as well as an opportunity to educate the community about the importance of Juneteenth as a holiday.
“I would say it’s important to remember this day because slavery was an atrocity for Black people,” Johnson said. “So, for us to have Juneteenth to celebrate that liberation of Black people from [slavery] to having freedom and the opportunities to have social equity, excel, and have a platform to have equal rights, that’s significant. Because today, we still see discrimination and racism still happening. … It’s challenging to see we’re still dealing with those issues. We still have so much more work to do.”
This year is Johnson’s first as president of the SLO County chapter of the NAACP, but he’s been involved with the organization for five years. He first served as the vice president and recently moved up to the presidency.
“The NAACP is important to me because we are fighting to end racism and discrimination at all levels, to ensure that there is social, political, and educational equality in the community,” he said. “It’s definitely an ongoing challenge and battle to eradicate systematic racism and all racism at all levels.”
In addition to the June 17 event in Mission Plaza, the NAACP SLO County is also hosting a private screening and panel discussion of the film The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks on the actual June 19 holiday, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church in SLO. The panel will be hosted by keynote speaker Iris Duplantier Rideau.
“Rosa Parks was part of the bus boycott in Alabama and wasn’t the only person that participated, but was significant in that case because her case got so much visibility in that enormous movement,” Johnson said. “It helped Black people to be allowed to ride the public bus in an area where that was new. It’s significant to show this film to show the progress that Black people have had with fighting racism and fighting systematic policies that discriminated against Black people.”
Of all the festivities, Johnson said he’s most excited about the Freedom Lounge, a Black history and art exhibit to be hosted in the SLO County History Center, a short walk from Mission Plaza, at 646 Monterey St.
“I’d just like to add that everyone is welcome to this event,” Johnson said. “All community members and people from all backgrounds are welcome to come out and learn about Juneteenth.”
For more information on how to purchase tickets to the event and support Juneteenth, visit the official event webpage at juneteenthslo.com.
Fast fact
• Concerts in the Plaza returns on Friday, June 23, for 12 weeks of free live music in San Luis Obispo’s Mission Plaza. The first concert in the summer series will feature two new acts: Ghost\Monster and opening singer-songwriter Natalie Haskins. Held weekly on Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m., Concerts in the Plaza has food and drink to purchase, including Firestone-Walker Brewing Company beers, wine from Dunites Wine Company, and hard cider from SLO Cider, along with eats from Woodstock’s Pizza and Quesadilla Gorilla. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own reusable cups to the event. Free bike valet will be provided by Bike SLO County. For more information, visit downtownslo.com. Δ
New Times intern Thomas Rodda and Assistant Editor Peter Johnson wrote this week’s Strokes. Send your ideas to strokes@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Winning Images 2023.