Charleston Job Corps Center students in the male group, “Modern Man” volunteered at the first annual Juneteenth Celebration with lead sponsor, the governor’s Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs. The free event was open to the public and held at the Municipal Auditorium, June 19, 2017 from 3:30-9:00 p.m. with live music, dance, art, games, food, free health screenings and vendors for a fun filled and exciting event. CJCC Modern Man provided assistance by setting up and breaking down equipment, assisting with games and monitoring. In addition, the event provided an opportunity for outreach to recruit potential candidates for enrollment.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States of America. It originated in Galveston, Texas in 1865 and the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States.

Additional sponsors included: 98.7 The Beat, AARP, Bluefield State College, BrickStreet Insurance, Bureau of Senior Services, City of Charleston, CORE, Depart. Of Military Affairs-Office of Correctional Operations, FestivAll, KISRA, State NAACP, Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday Commission, Marshall University, WV Culture and History, WV State University, and WV University.