Honor Freedom with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
during annual Juneteenth Celebration
On Saturday, June 16, join The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis for Juneteenth, an annual celebration of freedom. This free celebration is offered at Festival Park outside of the main entrance from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Juneteenth was first celebrated on June 19, 1865, when slaves in Texas finally heard the news that the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed into law two years earlier. Because no one was sure of the exact date in mid-June when their freedom had been declared, the celebration was called Juneteenth. It has become a day to focus on family unity, as well as a time for all Americans to affirm the principles of freedom and justice for all.
Museum celebration activities will begin at 10 a.m. with the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation and will continue throughout the day. Activities will include events such as ice cream making, a past and present black history quiz, door prize giveaways, live entertainment and much more. Food items from King Ribs barbecue restaurant will also be available for purchase.
 The museum is also once again offering a plant giveaway to local residents in the Mid-North neighborhoods of Crown Hill, Highland Vicinity, Mapleton-Fall Creek, Meridian Highland and Watson-McCord. Pots for each plant will be decorated by Juneteenth participants beginning at 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. in the outdoor picnic area. Resident sign-up sheets for plant reservations are available through each neighborhood association president. Participating residents can pick up their plant at the museum anytime before 2 p.m. Those plants that have not been picked up by 2 p.m. will be delivered to the homes directly.
 In addition to the Juneteenth celebration activities on Festival Park, a neighborhood cleanup will take place beginning at 9 a.m. for the neighborhoods of Crown Hill and Highland Vicinity. Neighborhood residents will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the New Liberty Church Parking Lot where they will receive cleaning items such as gloves, shovels, bags and brooms provided by the Health and Hospital Corporation. Volunteers from outside the neighborhood that would like to assist are encouraged to meet in the parking lot beginning at 8:30 a.m.
The 2007 Juneteenth celebration is supported by Coca-Cola, the Indianapolis Fruit Company and media partner WTLC.
To learn more about Juneteenth celebration activities at The Children’s Museum, please call (317) 334-3322 or toll-free at (800) 208-KIDS, or visit ChildrensMuseum.org.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is a non-profit institution committed to creating extraordinary learning experiences that have the power to transform the lives of children and families. The 433,000 square-foot facility houses 11 major galleries. Visitors can explore the physical and natural sciences, history, world cultures, the arts, see how dinosaurs lived 65 million years ago in Dinosphere: Now You’re in Their World, and experience Fireworks of Glass, the largest permanent sculpture of blown glass by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. The Children’s Museum, situated on 13 acres of land in Indianapolis presents thousands of programs and activities each year. For more information about The Children’s Museum in English and Spanish, visit www.ChildrensMuseum.org .
# # #
|
