College of Charleston to host 2nd Annual Maroon Walk for Juneteenth

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The College of Charleston says they are hosting a free and open to the public event in honor of Juneteenth.

The college says the Maroon Walk for Juneteenth is an event that was introduced to them in 2022.

They say that the gathering is a way for them to recognize the federal observation of June 19,1865, the date when enslaved African-Americans were emancipated.

“We wanted to acknowledge all of the sacred spaces on campus where people of African descent have contributed to the campus culture – in the past, present and into the future,” says Kameelah Martin, dean of the graduate school and the inaugural event. “We had a great turnout of faculty and staff in 2022 and want to encourage community members to participate in 2023.”

Director of diversity education and training in the Office of Institutional Diversity, Charissa Owens says the event is meaningful for multiple reasons.

“In the same spirit of civil rights icon Ms. Opal Lee’s walk for Juneteenth, it’s a higher form of lawfulness to counter state legislature status with observing the federal holiday. The walk is designed to be an empowering, culturally affirming and physically active opportunity to recognize the federal observation of Juneteenth at the College of Charleston.”

The walk will take place on June 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will take the following route:

Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture at 125 Bull St.
Edward Leon Guenveur House and Lauretta Goodall-Guenveur Garden at 57 Coming St.
Solar Pavilion behind 65 Coming St. near the Pi Kappa Phi Bell Tower
Rivers Green Memorial behind Addlestone Library
Knox-Lesesne House at 14 Green Way
Randolph Hall
Septima P. Clark Birthplace at 105 Wentworth St.
Atrium of the Septima Clark Memorial Auditorium at the Thaddeus Street Jr. Education Center at 25 St. Philip St.

People who want to participate can register by clicking here.

The college says the first two people on record to participate in the walk will receive a CofC Pan-African T-shirt and two tickets to the following Spoleto Festival USA events:

The Book of Life at 7 p.m. on June 4 in Festival Hall
Dada Masilo: The Sacrifice at 6 p.m. on June 6 in the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre

At the end of the walk, there will be a raffle for additional prizes including two tickets to Abdullah Ibrahim and Ekaya at 9 p.m. on June 8 in the Cistern Yard and attendees will be invited to partake in dishes that represents Black culture, a news release states.

They also say that attendees are encouraged to wear Pan-African T-shirts at the event to show Juneteenth pride.