Louisville City Wire

Louisville – This year’s Juneteenth Jubilee Celebration kicks off with the Kentucky Opera Amplify Songs of Justice performance on Saturday, June 10, 2023.

Join Majority Caucus Chair, Metro Council District 7 Representative, Juneteenth Jubilee Commissioner, and lyricist, Councilwoman Paula McCraney, for a night to remember.

Voices from the local community, church, and college choirs will join members of the Kentucky Opera Chorus in a concert celebration of African American culture and music. The event will premiere five civil rights songs commissioned by the Kentucky Opera and composed by American operatic baritone and composer Jorell Williams. Lyrics to the songs were written by Louisville Metro Councilwoman Paula McCraney.

“It’s an honor to serve on the Juneteenth Jubilee Commission to plan these city-wide celebrations, and I’m thrilled to be a part of the opening event. I hope generations to come will enjoy the music we created and learn more about the civil rights struggle Black people faced and the inequities that still exist,” said Councilwoman McCraney.

The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Kentucky Opera Center for Cultural Health, located at 708 Magazine Street. This is a free event, but at this time all tickets have been claimed. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please visit: https://secure.kyopera.org/amplify-songs-of-justice.

This event kicks off a series of celebrations created or supported by the Juneteenth Jubilee Commission. For a full schedule of events, please visit https://juneteenthlou.com/.

About Juneteenth

Juneteenth is a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining "June" and "nineteenth", it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Galveston, Texas. The day was first recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.

About the Juneteenth Jubilee Commission

Established in 2022 by former Mayor Greg Fischer and ratified by the Louisville Metro Council, the mission of the Juneteenth Jubilee Commission is to recognize and honor Black heritage and achievements, and to enhance the economic and cultural advancement of the Black community through a celebration of the Juneteenth holiday. Commissioners include civic and business leaders, media personalities, arts and education specialists, and diversity, equity, and inclusion advocates. The Commissioners plan an annual series of educational, cultural, and community-wide events to raise awareness of the significance of Juneteenth.

Original source can be found here.