As part of New Jersey’s first official commemoration of Juneteenth, Middlesex County will mark the holiday with county-wide celebrations beginning with a mural painting event in New Brunswick, and concluding with multiple flag raisings across the county.
The events are hosted with the Metuchen – Edison Area, New Brunswick Area and Perth Amboy Area branches of the NAACP, in partnership with the Arts Institute of Middlesex County and the New Brunswick Cultural Center, Inc.
“Middlesex County is proud to be part of New Jersey’s first official celebration of Juneteenth,” Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios said in a prepared statement. “In close partnership with NAACP branches throughout the county, the Arts Institute of Middlesex County and the New Brunswick Cultural Center, Inc. have organized a slate of events that celebrate Juneteenth while educating the public about this important day in our nation’s history. Commemorating Juneteenth, the day on which the last enslaved people in America learned of their freedom, honors our fellow Americans who suffered the atrocities of slavery.”
“As New Jersey recognizes Juneteenth as an official state holiday for the first time, we in Middlesex County are proud of the way our arts community is coming together to honor this important event in our nation’s history,” Middlesex County Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum said in the statement. “In addition to offering a mixture of cultural and educational events, the Juneteenth celebrations are a combination of in-person and virtual events to ensure they are accessible to all.”
Middlesex County’s Juneteenth festivities will begin with the closing of one of New Brunswick’s busiest intersections for a mural painting event on June 16 and 17. Artist Luis-Miguel Caraballo (aka Louie Blaka) will lead the mural painting at the intersection of George Street, Liberty Street and Livingston Avenue.
The celebration will continue with a combination of live and virtual events in New Brunswick and throughout the county, including music and dance performances and speeches.
The full list of Middlesex County’s Juneteenth events includes:
- Wednesday, June 16, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday, June 17, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Central Jersey Chapters of NAACP (Greater New Brunswick, Metuchen Edison and Perth Amboy branches) and the Arts Institute of Middlesex County mural painting at the intersection of George Street, Liberty Street and Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick.
- Wednesday, June 16, 7 p.m.: “Juneteenth: A Reflection on Social Justice and Emancipation” at East Brunswick Public Library, 2 Jean Walling, Civic Center Drive, East Brunswick. For more information, visit https://ilove.ebpl.org/adults/events/juneteenth-lecture-reflection-social-justice-and-emancipation-zoom/2021-06-16-230000
- Thursday, June 17, 3–4 p.m.: New Brunswick Area NAACP in-person program in Monument Square Park, 2 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick. Event will include live performances, speeches, and nonprofit organizations focusing on vaccination information and public health.
- Saturday, June 19, 11:30 a.m.: NAACP Metuchen Edison Area Branch Juneteenth virtual/hybrid celebration including music and dance performances and speeches. To register, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_u977CKTXQ7i3k3rVFgfSbg
- Saturday, June 19, 3 p.m.: Juneteenth flag raising at City Hall Circle in Perth Amboy. For more information, visit https://perthamboynow.com/event/juneteenth-flag-raising/
Additional information regarding Middlesex County’s Juneteenth celebrations can be found at www.middlesexcountynj.gov/Government/Departments/BDE/Pages/Juneteenth.aspx