Black Scranton Project hosts 5th Annual Juneteenth Jubilee

SCRANTON — Come out to Main Ave to celebrate Black Scranton Project’s 5th Annual Juneteenth Jubilee and Block Party on Saturday, June 15, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Enjoy the free roller rink and skate rentals at Black Scranton Project Center for Arts & Culture while listening to live entertainment, supporting the local vendors, and partaking in complimentary ice cream.

This community event honoring the spirit of Juneteenth is free and open to the public. Celebrate not only the Juneteenth holiday, but also the anniversary of Black Scranton Project’s nonprofit’s incorporation on Juneteenth 2019.

Along with plenty of activities and entertainment for all ages and abilities, there will also be giveaways all day long. Find resources there to help those in the community with a little of everything.

“I just really want to see people have a good time. I’m excited to see how Juneteenth has been embraced by Pennsylvania and beyond,” said Glynis Johns, Founder & CEO of Black Scranton Project.

Glynis Johns always wanted to do roller skating in her community and after its success at the Juneteenth Jubilee last year, she’s bringing it back to the city again! The local non-profit organization’s programmatic theme of the year is “Healing through the Arts” and this event will echo that through its activities.

“It’s one of my favorite events to do and I’m so excited that it has so many connections to our org’ and the city,” said Glynis Johns.

This non-profit organization celebrating five years this summer has been Glynis Johns’ brainchild for over a decade. She'll also be honored at Light Up the Valley on Thursday, June 13, as one of the Top 40 Change Makers in the region. What started as a graduate school thesis for her Master’s degree in Sociology laid the foundation for what would become the Black Scranton Project.

^{Photo Credit - Black Scranton Project}

Glynis Johns decided to investigate why the Black community in Pennsylvania repeatedly gets overlooked. She went on an archival deep dive and learned Black people have played an important role in Scranton’s history since the region’s beginning, including the industrial revolution and the height of coal-mining, but no one was talking about it!

When she finished her graduate thesis in 2013, she decided she couldn’t just leave it all on paper. She had to bring the idea to Scranton. From there, she started by talking anywhere people would listen.

In February 2019, Glynis hosted her own African American history exhibit for the area and 1200 people stopped in to see it. That proved to Glynis that she was on the right path. Within the next six months, she was filing for a non-profit.

“I truly see Black Scranton Project being an institution that outlasts my lifetime,” said Glynis Johns.

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Glynis was inspired by the Museum for National Museum of African American History and Culture, which was a project 100 years in the making. It may not all happen overnight, but the more passion she put into it, the more pursuing this mission has continued to pay off.

Glynis loves seeing how Black Scranton Project has been able to inspire people in the community, from kids to older adults. She’s happy to see Black spaces opening up to people of from all walks of life.

“We see everybody; two to 92, trans brothers and sisters participating, people coming out of incarceration. To me that’s really wild — that we touch every corner of the community,” said Glynis Johns. “It’s a space where they feel they can interact and find their community.”

The first Juneteenth Jubilee in Scranton started in 2019 as a small lunch at Terra Preta, which was a popular restaurant in Downtown Scranton at the time. They sold out the tickets.

Then, when the Black Lives Matter movement moved the country in 2020, many people in the community felt called to protest but the organization needed to decide how NEPA should proceed in solidarity.

“For us in Scranton, we needed to have our own style of protest,” said Glynis. “— So what if we have a protest of joy and love?”

Hundreds of people came to participate. “That really set the tone for what Black Scranton could be,” said Glynis.

In 2021, Black Scranton Project got their building for their now annual block party and the non-profit has been holding big events there ever since! Each year, the Juneteenth Jubilee has grown its reach and this year, she’s aiming to hit the 1000 mark for attendees.

The 5th Annual Juneteenth Jubilee will be a fun afternoon and a great way to show support and raise money for the Black Scranton Project. The organization is always seeking new volunteers and partners.

“That’s the goal — how can we facilitate the things you want to do, want to see. How can we fill those gaps?” asked Glynis.

Right now, Black Scranton Project is restoring the historic bank which the center now lives. The building still needs work and Glynis says she wants to get it ready for more. She also hopes to add some murals for further revitalization in the future.

“We’ve done so much in five years, I’m grateful to have this job to create new things for the area,” said Glynis. “It’s definitely rewarding.”

Fundraising is always the biggest hurdle, so donations are always welcome to help Black Scranton Project continue reaching more people with positive, free resources. The Juneteenth Jubilee is the perfect glimpse into everything the project’s working towards!

“Historically, African Americans are celebrating their own freedom in their community,” said Glynis. “We had to be the leaders of our freedom.”

Bring everyone down to Main Ave for an unforgettable day of community and connection as Black Scranton Project honors heritage, revels in the present moment, and envisions a future filled with hope and unity.

“Emphasizing resilience, culture, community and strength — I think we should be spreading that.” said Glynis.

Celebrate freedom, celebrate pride, celebrate summer. Come embrace our versatile community at Black Scranton Project ’s 5th Annual Juneteenth Jubilee.

“There’s so much negativity out there and that’s what I built this whole event on,” said Glynis Johns. “That’s what I want people to feel at the block party. — I understand there’s suffering and hurt, but we can also come together.”