Check out the celebrations at LCC and in Lansing that honor the importance of June 19

By Emmett Roman
Staff Reporter

On June 19, 1865, two thousand union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, announcing that more than 250,000 enslaved African American people in Texas were free due to executive decree. This became the day known as Juneteenth, according to the Smithsonian.

To celebrate this historical day, Associate Vice President of External Affairs, Development and K-12 Operations Dr. Toni Glasscoe was the keynote speaker for the 2026 Lansing Juneteenth Celebration kick-off ceremony. The event took place in the new Changemakers Center on June 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Choosing the center as the kick-off location is significant as it highlights 30 African American inductees and how they shaped the Lansing community. Glasscoe is also serving as a panelist for the Healthy People Creating Healthy Communities discussion as part of the 517 Juneteenth Weekend celebration. According to LCC’s news site, “The panel will explore how investing in mental wellness, physical health and education can create lasting positive impacts throughout the community.” This discussion will take place June 18 at 6 p.m.

The Juneteenth celebration in Lansing does not stop there, as there are many more events happening all over the city:

From June 6 – 30, there will be a Juneteenth window display of student art at the Capital Area District Library’s downtown branch.

On June 13 from 12 - 6 p.m. there was a tribute to the Negro Leagues with an annual ballgame and activities at Benjamin F. Davis Park.

On June 18 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. the Dr. Clyde D. Carnegie essay/scholarship and art competition program will be held at the Michigan Library and Historical Center.

On June 19 at 11 a.m. is Juneteenth Flag Day, which will be celebrated at the Lansing City Hall Plaza flagpole. There will also be a later event from 4 – 8:30 p.m. called the Freedom Festival Friday Night featuring Juneteenth’s Got Talent competition at St. Joseph Park.

On June 20 also at St. Joseph Park, it will be the Juneteenth Freedom Festival featuring the African American parade. The Freedom Festival will have vendors, live music, dance performances, a DJ, line dancing food and chess/checkers, according to Choose Lansing.

For one person on campus, Juneteenth serendipitously symbolizes more than just freedom from enslavement. Counselor Curlada Eure-Harris is retiring on June 19. Eure-Harris is an African American staff member who has worked for LCC for over 37 years. “My retiring on June 19, 2026, is coincidental in that I wanted to give 30 days’ formal notice of my retirement,” Eure-Harris said. “How the stars align to confirm a decision!”

Eure-Harris will miss working at LCC; however, her new journey is only beginning. “I loved my 37 years of student affairs service at LCC and how innovative and developmental the experience has been,” Eure-Harris said. “But I realized it was time for my release from fulfilling my purpose and life’s work within the format of a 40 hour a week, contracted job duty at LCC.” She is going continue what she loves even after her retirement from LCC. According to Eure-Harris, she is open to new times, locations, people and configurations for how she is going to continue fulfilling her purpose and life’s work.