Elon University hosted its second annual Juneteenth Freedom Footprints evemt, marked by celebratory luncheons and walking tours displaying the rich contributions of African Americans to Elon.
Carla Fullwood, the director of Inclusive Excellence Education and Development, serves in her role at Elon for four years, and Michaela Zeno has been a Communications Specialist for Inclusive Excellence at Elon for two years.
On June 19, 1865, about 250,000 African American slaves were freed following a proclamation delivered in Galveston, Texas by Union General Gordon Granger, which declared all enslaved persons within the state free. In 2021, after almost 150 years, this significant event was declared a federal holiday.
Starting in 2024, Elon University commenced a yearly celebration to recognize the accomplishments of African Americans with an educational session and a light meal.
“It opens doors for more conversations to other people to understand the greater significance,” Zeno said.
“Juneteenth is a day that signifies freedom, it’s a day that signifies liberation, and that we’re continuing to work for that as Black and African American people,” Fullwood said.
Fullwood said people in the community have been actively working toward racial justice, and recognizing Juneteenth is just one way they demonstrate that. She also said it’s imperative for people to use the day to understand its historical significance.
“Understand that this day is also a part of our American history and this day is when, truly everyone who was populated in the United States, became free,” Fullwood said. “Folks were also learning about the history of Black contribution on this campus.”
The Juneteenth luncheon took place in Oaks Commons and was followed by a walking tour. The tour stopped at many locations on Elon’s campus and highlighted the history of important African American figures and their contributions to the university’s history.
The Freedom Footprints tour did a total of six stops, and each one was historically significant in its own way. Each stop also highlighted past and present Elon faculty and staff who identify as Black and African American. The stops included the Moseley Center, Alumni Gym, West Hall, Alamance Building, Powell Building and Belk Library. The Moseley Center contains a picture of Glenda Philips Hightower, the first African American woman to attend Elon, and Eugene E. Perry, the first African American man to graduate at Elon.
The Alumni Gym officially recognized Black student athletes in the fall of 2022 when 18% of athletes were black. Elon was given the title “Building a Meaningful Program with and for Black College Athletes at a Predominately White Institution” from the “Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics”.
Juneteenth at Elon has served as an avenue for growth in the community, with the lessons learned branching into various aspects of Elon University’s community.
“The most important lesson is being open,” Zeno said. “Depending on how you grew up, you might have certain perceptions, and as you grow or as you start talking to other people, you might realize … you’re more alike to someone than you realize.”
Wenda McLaurin
Wenda McLaurin lives in Kernersville, North Carolina, and attends the North Carolina Leadership Academy as a rising senior. Throughout her high school career, Wenda has been involved in her school’s news production team as a scriptwriter and as a section editor in her school’s newspaper. She enjoys reading and writing about politics and social justice issues, and she is passionate about Spanish, having been in a Spanish immersion program since kindergarten. She is involved in many organizations, including the Winston-Salem Youth Advisory Council as secretary, the National and Spanish Honor Societies, and the Youth Grantmakers in Action. Wenda aims to use her voice as a tool to inspire change and raise awareness about the matters affecting society today. In her free time, Wenda loves to write in her journal, make vlogs and spend time with her family. In the future, she plans on majoring in journalism, while minoring in Spanish and/or political science.
Zuriel Nyamutsaka
Zuriel Nyamutsaka lives in Charleston, South Carolina, and is a rising senior at Academic Magnet High School. Zuriel served on the Academic Magnet Student Council as a two-time class president and student body vice president, before retiring to pursue a passion in public speaking at school board meetings and for the Charleston Area Justice Ministry. Zuriel is passionate about political science and journalism, and in his free time he consumes a variety of music and movies.
Madison Steptoe
Madison Steptoe is a junior who lives in Yonkers, New York, but attends White Plains High School. She has always had an interest in writing stories, especially true stories with interesting backgrounds. When she was little, she created her own news channel on iMovie and had a lot of fun with it. She joined the newspaper in sixth grade and continued with it through middle school and high school. She is also vice president of the Black Awareness club and treasurer of the ROAR Magazine. She is also a part of the varsity softball team and plays outside of school, too. She writes in her free time, really enjoys this career and is extremely excited for EJP.