Juneteenth celebration to include unveiling of mural

As part of Athens' celebration of Juneteenth, join the Mount Zion Black Cultural Center for “History as Public Art” mural unveiling at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the historic Mount Zion Baptist Church, 32 W. Carpenter St., Athens. A reception will follow at the Southeast Ohio History Center.

A decaying Romanesque Rose stained-glass window that was recently removed from the 118-year-old building for re-leading was replaced by muralist Keith Wildes’ historical renderings of the church’s 1872 beginnings through to the late 1990s.

Opening the unveiling ceremony will be the Ted Harris Trio, followed by Affrilachian Poet Crystal Good who is also the founder/publisher of Appalachia’s BBG, the West Virginian newspaper. The Center’s President Ada-Woodson says that Good “epitomizes Mount Zion’s Cultural mission of combating the erasure of Black ancestry by advocating for that identity in the Appalachian region and across America.”

Also joining the celebration and assisting in the unveiling will be John Carey, director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, Ohio University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez, and Athens Mayor Steve Patterson.

The iconic Mount Zion structure which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, recently received $7.3 million from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s Appalachian Downtown and Destination Funds for its preservation and rehabilitation.

On Saturday, Ohio University will host its annual Juneteenth Celebration with a series of events for students, faculty, staff and community members.

This year’s events on Ohio University’s Athens Campus will include a Black History Tour of Athens from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday and the Juneteenth Festival from 3-6 p.m. Saturday on the College Green.

All members of the Ohio University community are invited to participate in the tour, which will begin on the fourth floor of the Baker University Center. For information or to register for the tour, visit ohio.givepulse.com/event/446656 online.

The Juneteenth Festival will feature music, vendors offering food and merchandise, and activities for the whole family. Those attending are invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets, water and sunscreen so they can enjoy music and the fun afternoon.

For information, see the OU Juneteenth webpage at ohio.edu/diversity/history-heritage-programming/juneteenth-celebration.