JUNETEENTH 2015, A FREEDOM CELEBRATION – THE SYMPOSIUM

Juneteenth 2015, A Freedom Celebration’s The Symposium will feature elder activist, Bobby Seale, on June 19. Nearly 80 and a grandfather of four, Bobby Seale is the elder activist still speaking out on college campuses and in communities about the Black Panthers — founded as the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense with Huey P. Newton in 1966 — and about social justice issues, including voting rights, education, employment and equality. He shows the similarities of the 1960s protest movement with today’s activism. Then, his work followed that of Martin Luther King. “Dr. King was speaking about what we have to do to end this discrimination, this institutionalized racism,” Seale said. He recalls Dr. King urged members of the audience to boycott companies that refused to hire African Americans, bread companies in particular, saying, “We want to make Wonder Bread wonder where the money went.” Inspired and committed to speak out while nurturing from within, Seale informed that the Black Panther Party’s goals included decent education, full employment, housing, free preventive health care and an end to police brutality. According to the theme of Juneteenth 2015, A Freedom Celebration, Self Determination, Black Lives Matter — in 1865, in 1965 and, especially now, in 2015. Mr. Seale will address actions for African Americans in 2015.

Friday – June 19
• The Symposium • 6:00-10:00pm • $10 for 1 and $18 for 2
• The campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in the Academic Learning Commons, 1000 Floyd Avenue 23284, Room 1107.

►Bobby Seale (keynote speaker)
►Elegba Folklore Society’s African dancers, drummers and singers
►Celebrated jazz vocalist and actress, Desiree Roots will also appear.
►Exhibitors