(RED BANK – JUNE 6)— The Count Basie Center for the Arts will hold a community Juneteenth celebration next Wednesday, June 12 at The Vogel, located at 99 Monmouth Street in Red Bank. Entry is a $10 suggested donation.

The celebration will be hosted by community leader Gilda Rogers, Executive Director of Red Bank’s T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center, the nonprofit which works to preserve and further the civil rights and social justice legacy of journalist T. Thomas Fortune through community outreach, education, the arts and public programming.

Also appearing will be the Count Basie Center Gospel Choir, which will perform music composed and arranged by African Americans; Neptune High School a cappella troupe The Scarlet Sound; dancer and author Audrey Davis-Dunning, and the Marel Hildalgo Trio. Doors open at 5pm, with the program starting at 6pm sharp.

“Since becoming a federal holiday in 2021, the Count Basie Center has proudly hosted a Juneteenth celebration, welcoming the entire community to come together and recognize the importance of its meaning,” said Adam Philipson, President and CEO, Count Basie Center for the Arts. “This year, we’re proud to host community leaders and performers in what promises to be a jubilant evening.”

As History.com notes, Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. On June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday.

“My message will be centered on Juneteenth, otherwise known as Freedom Day,” says event host Rogers. “Juneteenth is an American holiday that invites all people and cultures to participate in honoring the legacy of those who were enslaved – not just in Texas, but overall – and amplifies the progressive contributions Black people historically have made to this country since its inception.”

“Juneteenth is an Equity, Diversity and Inclusive holiday that speaks to all Americans as a reminder that we’re all in this together.”

The Basie Center will also participate in Red Bank’s official Juneteenth celebration on Sunday, June 16, featuring live jazz performances, guest speakers, food trucks, giveaways and more.

For more information on these and other events in and around the Count Basie Center community, visit www.thebasie.org/community.