11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Enter the free gift basket drawing by filling in the form below.
WHAT IS IT?
The Institute of Public Scholarship's 2nd annual Emancipation Jubilee is a community block party on Kalamazoo's downtown mall spanning the blocks between Water St and Kalamazoo Ave that commemorates Black resilience, resistance, joy, and liberty. Coinciding with the 111th anniversary of the Lincoln Jubilee in Chicago and the publication of the Michigan Manual of Freeman’s Progress, this event amplifies historical narratives, personal stories, food, music, fun, and a vibrant Diasporic community.
Event Highlights Include:
● Live Music & Entertainment
● Food Trucks
● Retail Vendors
● Black & Brown-Owned Businesses
● Artisan Marketplace
● Wellness & Holistic Practitioners
● Spiritual & Meditative Vendors
● Community Organizations
● Family Activities
● Cultural Experiences
We hope you will join us in honoring the joy and celebrating the enduring freedom of Black people locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally!
Event Highlights Include:
● Live Music & Entertainment
● Food Trucks
● Retail Vendors
● Black & Brown-Owned Businesses
● Artisan Marketplace
● Wellness & Holistic Practitioners
● Spiritual & Meditative Vendors
● Community Organizations
● Family Activities
● Cultural Experiences
We hope you will join us in honoring the joy and celebrating the enduring freedom of Black people locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally!
WHAT ARE WE CELEBRATING?
Our inaugural Emancipation Jubilee Block Party in honor of the rich history of August Emancipation Celebrations. Acknowledged in states like New York, Massachusetts, and Michigan, this month emerged as acknowledgment of the August 1st emancipation in the British West Indies as early as 1837 in New York and 1839 in Detroit. This rich tradition of oratory, parades, recreation, performances and reflection grew across Michigan and became important in Kalamazoo. 111 years ago this month in 1915, delegates from Michigan, 18 other states and Puerto Rico figured prominently at the Lincoln Jubilee in Chicago where participants shared their accomplishments and visions 50 years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
At our Block Party, the Institute revives not only this important tradition, but also the layers of history that our organization’s home on North Burdick holds. From Kalamazoo’s own 1894 Emancipation Celebration at the previous Turn Verin building which became the home of the first Douglass Community Center to the Kalamazoo Boxing Academy building which later held the first location of the Black Arts and Cultural Center, we honor the many businesses and organizations that, like us, rooted themselves and defined freedom in community.
At our Block Party, the Institute revives not only this important tradition, but also the layers of history that our organization’s home on North Burdick holds. From Kalamazoo’s own 1894 Emancipation Celebration at the previous Turn Verin building which became the home of the first Douglass Community Center to the Kalamazoo Boxing Academy building which later held the first location of the Black Arts and Cultural Center, we honor the many businesses and organizations that, like us, rooted themselves and defined freedom in community.
HOW CAN YOU CELEBRATE WITH US?
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You can join us as we celebrate the joy of music, diverse food and beverages, exhibits, vendors, wellness, education and oratory by attending our event, by becoming a vendor, or a sponsor, or a volunteer.
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Vend at the Celebration!
We are inviting food trucks and food vendors, retail and business vendors, artisans and makers, and community organizations and nonprofits to join our vendor village. Click the button below for more information.
Sponsor the Celebration!
Sponsors fuel a free, family-friendly celebration that draws families, community members, and culture lovers from across Kalamazoo and beyond. Sponsors are woven into the story of the day — on stage, on our channels, and in the community memory we build together.
Volunteer at the Celebration!
Interested in volunteering for the event? Please email [email protected]
313 North Burdick Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49007