This year, the commonwealth and the UMass system will officially celebrate Juneteenth for the first time. 

A webinar hosted by UMass Dartmouth will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 17 to educate the public about the holiday that celebrates the emancipation of those enslaved in the United States and discuss the historical context and implications of the holiday.

Moderator will be Dr. LaSella Hall, associate professor of the Frederick Douglass Unity House at UMass Dartmouth.

Panelists include: Lee Blake, president, New Bedford Historical Society; Gail Fortes, executive director, YWCA of Southeastern Massachusetts; David A. Gomes, chief diversity officer, UMass Dartmouth and Ricardo Rosa, associate professor of public policy and assistant director of the Office of Faculty Development at UMass Dartmouth.

The event is free and open to the public but advance registration is required via Zoom.

For more information, email mdias@umassd.edu.