LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Beginning this Friday, Juneteenth weekend celebrations will be underway across Central Arkansas, and one particular event aims to highlight African-American historical sites in Little Rock.
The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center's (MTCC) Juneteenth in Da Rock 5K is back for the third year, and this year's route is 3.1 miles of learning.
"As the coordinator, I am so proud to be able to put this on, especially to showcase history in a different way. Instead of it being an exhibition, which is what I usually do now, it's like an outside exhibition,” described Curator Courtney Bradford. "We're being very intentional in order to go throughout Little Rock's historically Black neighborhoods."
The organization has already had more runners and walkers sign up compared to the year before.
“We're stopping by places such as Bethel AME Church, Mifflin Gibbs' home, the home of John E. Bush, who founded the MTA, which is the Mosaic Templars of America, and places like Arkansas Baptist College," Bradford explained.
Each place holds a special space in history, like the Velvatex Beauty College, another stop on the route.
“This organization was founded in 1929 by M.E. Patterson, and she saw a need within the African American community to not only have people take care of their hair but to teach people how to be entrepreneurs on their own as well," Bradford said. "Velvatex gets its name from the idea that Mrs. Patterson felt that African American's hair had that velvet touch. So we see Velvatex in the title.”
At the 2.5-mile marker, participants will journey past Little Rock Central High School. However, the stop will also commemorate the 2.5 years it took for the slaves in Galveston, Texas to learn that they were free.
“Oftentimes, we drive up and down these streets all the time, and we don't know what these buildings are, what significance they hold within our history," Bradford added.
Bradford hopes that many will return to these spaces later and learn more by doing their own research after the 5K.
To sign up for the race or see the race route, click here.