Black Male Initiative Student Organization at SUNY Empire State College

SUNY EMPIRE STATE UNIVERSITY
BLACK MALE INITIATIVE
2026 JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION

DATE: Saturday, June 13, 2026
TIME: Doors open at 11:00 AM
LOCATION:
SUNY Empire State University
4 Park Avenue (Between 33rd & 34th Streets)
New York, New York.

SPECIAL GUESTS
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Joseph (Joe) Washington
Emeritus Professor, SUNY Empire State University
Special Musical Guest:
Regi Ransdell and the Rhythm Rebels
A stirring performance blending rhythm, blues, and the soul of freedom.

ABOUT THE CELEBRATION
Join the Black Male Initiative (BMI) at SUNY Empire State University for an uplifting Juneteenth celebration that honors freedom, resilience, and the enduring spirit of community.
We will gather to:
• Reflect on the meaning of Juneteenth through a powerful keynote by Dr. Joe Washington.
• Rejoice with live music from Regi Ransdell and the Rhythm Rebels.
• Renew our strength over a celebratory meal that nourishes both body and soul.

THE HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF JUNETEENTH
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, or Jubilee Day, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all enslaved people in Confederate territory to be free. However, the reality of freedom did not reach all enslaved African Americans immediately.
It was not until June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, that freedom was finally proclaimed to the last group of enslaved people—over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. That historic day became known as Juneteenth, combining “June” and “nineteenth.”
From its beginnings in Texas, Juneteenth celebrations spread across the nation, becoming a time for families and communities to gather, reflect, and rejoice. In 2021, Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday, honoring the strength, endurance, and spirit of African Americans and reaffirming the nation’s ongoing journey toward equality and justice.
At SUNY Empire State University, we recognize Juneteenth not only as a moment of remembrance but as a continuing call to unity, education, and empowerment.

RSVP & CONTACT INFORMATION
For additional information or to RSVP, please contact:
Dr. David Anthony Fullard
[email protected]

Presented by the SUNY Empire State University Black Male Initiative
“Celebrating Freedom, Honoring Legacy, Inspiring the Future”

Gift of Life Marrow Registry

These two young brothers, King (12) and Ace (6), from Syracuse, NY, are currently battling a rare inherited immune deficiency.

This condition prevents their bodies from producing the necessary white blood cells to fight infection, leaving them highly vulnerable to serious illness. Both boys urgently need blood stem cell or bone marrow transplants from matching donors to have a chance at healthy, fully functioning immune systems.

King and Ace’s best chance of finding a match lies within the African American community. Unfortunately, only about 28% of Black patients can find a compatible donor, which highlights the critical need to increase registry participation.

BIG NEWS!
I am incredibly proud to share that the SUNY Empire State University Black Male Initiative’s Fortified Classroom Scholarship is now fully endowed and will exist in perpetuity.
That means this scholarship will support students not just today, but for generations to come.
As the steward of this scholarship, I have had the privilege of watching a powerful vision become a lasting reality. What began as an idea rooted in opportunity and equity has now become a permanent source of support for students who are determined to pursue their education and transform their lives.
To everyone who helped make this possible—thank you. Your generosity and commitment have created something that will continue to open doors for men and women who might otherwise face financial barriers to higher education.
Scholarships change lives.
Education changes communities.
And together we have built something that will make a difference forever.
This is legacy work.
.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/25/movies/delroy-lindo-sinners-oscar-nominations.html?campaign_id=37&emc=edit_rr_20260227&instance_id=171685&nl=race/related®i_id=95143733&segment_id=215898&user_id=524d84ca23aa2be612fc33bda9c9cfc0

Delroy Lindo on ‘Sinners,’ Speaking Up and the Power of Affirmation In a career of standout performances and dispiriting lows, Lindo, 73, has held firm to his goal: “I want to be respected for my work.”

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/a-white-historian-claimed-that-black-people-had-no-history-this-trailblazing-scholar-dedicated-his-life-to-proving-otherwise-180988144/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

A White Historian Claimed That Black People 'Had No History.' This Trailblazing Scholar Dedicated His Life to Proving Otherwise Carter G. Woodson, the "father of Black history," founded the celebration now known as Black History Month in 1926. A prolific writer and activist, he viewed his efforts to educate the public as a "life-and-death struggle"

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/us/jesse-jackson-dead.html?campaign_id=60&emc=edit_na_20260217&instance_id=171195&nl=breaking-news®i_id=296882435&segment_id=215380&user_id=17f545dc28379aba9be0040684451c0c

Jesse Jackson, Charismatic Champion of Civil Rights, Dies at 84 An impassioned orator, he was a moral and political force, forming a “rainbow coalition” of poor and working-class people and seeking the presidency. His mission, he said, was “to transform the mind of America.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9o3e4VB1uE

Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights icon, dies age 84 Civil rights icon and two-time presidential candidate Rev. Jesse Jackson passed away on Tuesday morning at age 84, his family said in a statement.ABC News’ P...