The Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (IDE) is proud to be a part of the 2024 COMO Juneteenth Community Luncheon on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, in Columbia. 

The event at Douglass Park, coordinated by the Rev. James Gray, included music, karaoke, free food, games and activities. Mizzou IDE staff, Mizzou Athletics, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, Missouri American Cancer Society, The American Red Cross, Boone Health and community members attended the event. 

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. From its origin in Galveston, Texas, in 1865, the observance of June 19 as the Emancipation Day has spread across the United States. It is now recognized as a federal holiday.