Dallas resident Amanda Maxfield, 42, sings during the UTA Juneteenth Celebration on June 18 at Brazos Park. Maxfield has been in the music industry for over 20 years.
Brazos Park turned into a green landscape of culture, history and a testament to resilience during the 2026 Annual UTA Juneteenth Celebration on Thursday.
Hosted by the Center for African American Studies, the Intercultural Center for Student Engagement and other organizations, the event brought free barbecue, desserts, live music, dances and speakers for attendees to commemorate the federal holiday.
On January 1, 1863, enslaved African Americans were declared free by the Emancipation Proclamation.
While the Emancipation Proclamation took effect, not everyone in Confederate territory was immediately free. On June 19, 1865, about 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, where it was announced that more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free.
Now, Juneteenth is recognized by many as the United States’ second Independence Day.
“We get an opportunity to acknowledge that difficult period in American history, but also kind of bring it to modern day and see how does that history relate to where we are now,” said Jason Shelton, director of the Center for African American Studies.
Mansfield resident Felisha Hall, 48, dances during the UTA Juneteenth Celebration on June 18 at Brazos Park. There was free barbecue, water, ice and music for attendees.
Leo Grandison, lead event organizer and assistant director of the Intercultural Student Engagement Center, said a committee of about four different campus units started planning for the event around two months prior.
Grandison said the event is not just for Black people to celebrate, but that it’s important to know the history and significance of the event.
“Do a little research. Know a little bit more about history so that you can be informed, and not just informed, empowered,” he said. “If you know what’s going on, you’ll feel more comfortable. You don’t have to be of that culture, but you can celebrate the ideals, you can celebrate freedom for everybody.”
Nicklaus Utsey, UTA alumnus and educational advisor for Upward Bound, said he wants to get a renewed sense of joy.
“There’s a lot of issues that affect my people today that are long-standing that are still current, and events like this just serves as a renewed sense of hope that there is still good in the world, that there is still proper acknowledgement of the accomplishments in the history of African American people,” Utsey said.
He said that students may enter college with a limited worldview and it’s up to the students to take the initiative to learn about other histories, as well as the university to provide an environment where students can explore.
“UTA has a lot of pride in how it showcases diversity and having been working for a university that highlights Black culture and affirms every identity out there, it’s very affirming for me,” Utsey said.
UTA Juneteenth shirts sit at a booth during the UTA Juneteenth Celebration on June 18 at Brazos Park. The event was held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
As rhythmic, soulful music filled the space, some attendees swayed and danced or talked with each other while others got up to grab food or snow cones.
Dallas resident Cedrick Jones, 41, brought his two kids to the event to expose them to African American culture early on.
“It’s very important to know both sides of your history, and this is extremely important event. It was also interesting now that they’re getting older to be able to have conversations with them about what the significance of Juneteenth is, the whole history behind it,” Jones said.
Chidera Nwankwor, political science junior and Nigerian native, said she decided to go to the event to learn more about the holiday.
“It’s a really striking thing to kind of be a part of, to learn more about the history, and see how different events impact different groups of people, and what brings significance to some people, and share that with other people,” Nwankwor said. “I think that’s just a really beautiful thing.”
While Juneteenth is not a holiday she grew up celebrating, she said she started to learn about it when she moved to the United States from Canada and began celebrating the event with friends.
“Anytime that we can come together as Black people from all different walks of life and different cultures and celebrate, and learn more about one another, and just bring that unity. It’s always a good thing,” Nwankwor said.
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