While Thursday was the federal holiday, events at Pine Bluff’s Indigo Blue Coffeehouse on Barraque Street, not far from the Jefferson County Courthouse, opened up a two-day celebration culminating in the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Juneteenth in the Bluff. R&B great Lenny Williams is the highlighted act for the festival, open from 5-11 p.m. Friday at the Delta Rhythm and Bayous Cultural District on Third Avenue and Main Street.
On Thursday, Pine Bluff native and art teacher Rashawn Penister exhibited his latest artwork as part of a silent auction benefiting local students in ACT-SO, or the Afro-American, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics organized by the NAACP.
Some of his artwork includes the use of playing cards among his media.
“The deck of cards is about taking risks. It’s related to life’s choices. I came up with the concept a long time ago through a trial-and-error.”
Penister said he let go of the concept until a friend uttered a phrase: “We play the cards we are dealt with.” That motivated him to try the artwork again.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Later in the day, Indigo Blue served up poetry and even an impromptu story on Black history in an open-mic event hosted by poet and author Coffy Davis.
Agnolia Gay performed the poem “Youth Speak Truths,” challenging the audience to ask their living ancestors questions about their past and to draw hints of wisdom.
“Youths speak truths in both words and deeds, but the question is, will the adults take heed?” Gay recited.
Julius Lever shared the connection between the original Black Panther Party in Alabama and the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense in California, which became better known as the Black Panther Party. Jefferson County native Bobby Hutton, who was shot to death by Oakland police in the wake of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968, is said to be the first recruit to join the party in California.
Friday’s Juneteenth in the Bluff, free and open to the public, will include an HBCU line-dance challenge in which dance teams, clubs, instructors, Greek organizations and others are invited to sign up at juneteenthinthebluff.com and create the largest gathering of line dancers at an HBCU event.
Food samplings by the Arkansas Delta Chefs Association and a Cub Club Kids Zone with carnival rides will also be available. It was reported nearly 2,500 turned out for last year’s Juneteenth in the Bluff.
Penister anticipates a big turnout for Juneteenth in the Bluff.
“I think it’s going to be huge,” he said. “I heard a lot of great things about Pine Bluff and when it’s Juneteenth a lot of people come.”
