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The Following Are Our
Premiere & Event Sponsors
The Following Are Our
Gold & Silver Sponsors
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BANKER'S
TRUST
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WELLS FARGO
-
ING
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QWEST
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BOY SCOUTS
OF AMERICA
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CENTRAL IOWA
BLUES SOCIETY
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COMMUNITY
JAZZ CENTER OF DES MOINES
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MAPLE STREET
MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
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IOWA
BYSTANDER
Please click here for a complete
listing of all of the 2011 Iowa Juneteenth Sponsors
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Mission
The Iowa Juneteenth Observance is an annual
grassroots-driven program of the Connect Foundation. The Connect
Foundation is a state network of non-paid community volunteers dedicated
to improving community relations through education, entertainment, and
positive cultural interaction.
The mission of the Iowa Juneteenth Observance
is to: 1) educate Iowans on, and promote the historical significance of,
the Juneteenth holiday in our state; 2) commemorate the end to slavery
in America; 3) highlight the economic, political, social efforts of
African-Americans to fully participate in the American culture following
slavery; and 4) reach out to all Iowans in a mutual celebration of
freedom.
Holiday
The Iowa Juneteenth Observance established its roots
in 1990 at Good Park in Des Moines. The first observance grew from a
one-day/ one-location event that drew around 50 people to a
week-long/ multiple-site event drawing tens of thousands of people. The official state observance is on the third Saturday of
June at Evelyn K. Davis Park in Des Moines, which is designated as
“Neighbors Day” and is the largest observance in the state.
The Iowa Juneteenth Observance Founder &
General Chairperson, Gary Lawson, spearheaded efforts in the state
legislature to officially recognize the historical legitimacy of
Juneteenth. The Iowa General Assembly responded in 2002 by passing
the Juneteenth National Freedom Day legislation authorizing and
encouraging Iowans to celebrate Juneteenth annually on the third
Saturday of June.
Governor Tom Vilsack signed the
legislation, making Juneteenth an official holiday, in a special
ceremony attended by Iowa Juneteenth Observance committee members,
volunteers, supporters, legislators, and government officials on
April 11, 2002.
The cities of Burlington, Cedar Rapids,
Clinton, Davenport, Sioux City and Waterloo also hold local Juneteenth
observances and with the Iowa Juneteenth Observance, make the
largest African American produced event in the state.
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