June 18, 2026
Mary C. Jenkins Community and Cultural Center
At the most recent Brevard City Council meeting, Mayor Maureen Copelof read a proclamation declaring today Juneteenth in the city of Brevard and thanking the Board of Directors for the Mary C. Jenkins Community and Cultural Center for hosting three days of celebrations through Sunday.
Juneteenth is a national holiday that honors the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas with officials who issued an order freeing more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in that state.
Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in 2021 and became an official city of Brevard holiday starting in 2024.
Mary C. Jenkins Community and Cultural Center Board of Directors President Randy Lytle (left) accepts a proclamation from Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof making June 19th “Juneteenth” in the City of Brevard. Jonathan Rich / BrevardBeagle.com
“I just want to say how grateful the city is to have the Mary C. Jenkins Board of Directors and the entire organization put this incredible celebration together,” Copelof said.
“This will be the ninth year of the event and it has grown every year since we started,” said Jenkins Center Board of Directors President Randy Lytle. “We had well over 300 people attend last year and we’re looking for a bigger and better event this year.”
Friday’s local celebrations will include trolley tours of 14 historic sites around Brevard that will depart from the Center starting at 2 p.m. with stops highlighting local Black churches and other places in Transylvania County with a rich history of resilience, strength, and survival in the post-Emancipation era.
Dr. Dionne Hoskins-Brown of Savannah State University will be the guest speaker at a special seafood dinner at the community center that begins at 4 p.m.
The trolley tours will repeat on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., but live music, food trucks, and activities for all ages will resume at noon in the Silversteen Memorial Playground including a duck derby fundraising contest and performances by Ivory Coast native Adama Dembele’s African drum circle at 2 p.m.
Asheville’s John R. Hayes High Steppin’ Majorettes and Drum Corps will perform at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Bingo will be called at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Sunday’s events include an 11 a.m. joint worship service at the community center followed by a shared community meal.
“Every year it is an incredible celebration in terms of knowledge and fun,” Copelof concluded. “There really is something for everybody. I encourage the entire community to please come join us. Let’s have a bigger crowd than we did last year. I’ve had people tell me they’re going to stop going to Charlotte on Juneteenth because of what we offer in Brevard. We do put a lot of work into it.”
City of Brevard