The 2025 Annual Juneteenth Experience
Relive the Moments from Spartanburg’s Premier Juneteenth Celebrations
Thank you for joining us for the 2025 Juneteenth Experience presented by Spartanburg Juneteenth, Inc. This year’s series of powerful and inspiring events brought our community together to celebrate freedom, heritage, and unity. From the Freedom Film Festival and Taste of Black Spartanburg to the BEC Freedom Gala and Jubilee Worship Service, each moment honored the legacy of emancipation and Black excellence.
Juneteenth Experience 2025
- May 31, 9:00am – 4:30pm - Freedom Film Festival
- May 31, 2:00pm – 10:00pm - Freedom Taste of Black Spartanburg
- June 17 , 5:00pm – 9:00pm - Black Market Tuesday
- June 18, 6:00pm - 8:00pm – Race Seminar
- June 20, 6:45pm – 11:00pm – Juneteenth BEC Freedom Gala
- June 22, 3:00pm – Jubilee Worship Service
2025 Spartanburg Juneteenth Experience Recap
The 2025 Spartanburg Juneteenth Experience united our community with events that celebrated freedom, culture, and unity. From films and food to worship and awards, the week honored the past while inspiring future progress.
Freedom Film Symposium – May 31
The experience launched with the ULUS Studio 9.22 Freedom Film Symposium, hosted by the Urban League of the Upstate and Studio 9.22. Held at the George Dean Johnson College of Business & Economics, this event empowered the South Carolina film, television, and entertainment industry. Attendees engaged in expert panels, career-focused discussions, and casting opportunities. In addition, they previewed Studio 9.22’s future home and enjoyed inspiring film screenings. The day concluded with the debut of Spartanburg’s Taste of Black Spartanburg.
Freedom Taste of Black Spartanburg – May 31
That evening, the Freedom Taste of Black Spartanburg brought families and food lovers together. Guests sampled dishes from Black-owned restaurants while enjoying live music and fellowship. As a result, the event highlighted Spartanburg’s culinary richness.
Black Market Tuesday – June 17
Black Market Tuesday showcased Black entrepreneurship and artistry. Local vendors and creators displayed unique products and services. Furthermore, the event emphasized the importance of supporting Black-owned businesses and encouraged economic empowerment.
Race Seminar – June 18
The Race Seminar, conducted by Dr. Keith McDaniel, focused on the book North of Main. The work, written by Brenda Lee Pryce, Jim Neighbors, and Betsy Wakefield Teter, highlights Spartanburg’s historic Black neighborhoods. Meanwhile, attendees received a free copy of the book and shared a community dinner. The seminar created dialogue about racial equity, history, and progress.
Juneteenth BEC Freedom Gala – June 20
The Juneteenth BEC Freedom Gala was an evening of elegance, culture, and recognition. Highlights included the Legacy in Vogue Runway, hosted on the red carpet by Mary Mak, blending style and storytelling.
Entertainment was provided by Jared White and The Nations, with music curated by DJ Kurious George. Guests were also inspired by the creative presence of Leroy Campbell, the 2025 Artist in Residence. The evening also honored community leaders through a series of prestigious awards. As a result, the gala stood as both a celebration of heritage and a recognition of those shaping Spartanburg’s cultural landscape.
Jubilee Worship Service – June 22
The week concluded with the Jubilee Worship Service at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church. Led by Rev. Rashad Dean, Dr. M. Keith McDaniel, Dr. James Hailstock, and Dr. Larry Crudup. Finally, the 3:00pm service offered a moving time of praise, reflection, and community unity. This closing event reminded attendees of the spiritual strength that has always been central to the Juneteenth story.
2025 Juneteenth Award Winners
Small Business of the Year – Terrence Tyson
Educator of the Year – Shawna Bynum
Legacy Award – James Cheek
Contribution to the Culture Award – Brenda Lee Pryce & Betsy Wakefield Teter
Next Up Leadership Award – Elikem Asimenu
Unsung Hero Award – Kathy Hill
Nonprofit of the Year – Rhonda Young
Spiritual Award – Dr. Audrey Grant
Looking Ahead
The 2025 Spartanburg Juneteenth Experience was more than a series of events—it was a living expression of freedom and culture. In the end, it strengthened community bonds and celebrated resilience. We thank every attendee, sponsor, volunteer, and partner for making this year a success. Together, we look forward to honoring Juneteenth in Spartanburg for years to come.
Artist in residency
- LEROY CAMPBELL
- www.leroycampbelloriginals.com/
Inspirations and Roots
“…Riveting, stirring the soul and transporting the mind into the dreams of our elders…”. – Mikki Taylor, Editor at Large, Essence Magazine
Having no formal training, Campbell’s work is inspirited with such venerated artists as Jacob Lawrence and Charles Motley infused with Gullah – Geechee roots, post Renaissance vibes of Harlem and Brooklyn, and the 1980s African cultural resurgence.
Charleston, South Carolina native, Leroy Campbell’s art speaks of the contributions to humanity through the African American perspective. More than just art, each piece serves as Campbell’s tithe, as he uses his gifts and talents to teach others about the richness of the Gullah/ Geechee heritage and the beauty of his people.
Humanity as a Garden
Leroy Campbell describes humanity like a garden. In the 1300s Native Americans invented a system of gardening called “Three Sisters,” which involved strategically planting corn, beans, and squash together. The corn provides support and structure for the beans to grow. While the beans pull nitrogen from the air, returning it to the soil and enriching all the plants. The squash, planted at the base, spreads its large leaves, which offer shade and protection, keeping the soil moist and cool.
When each of the plants is whole and thriving and healthy, it is able to reach its full potential and contribute to the garden. If one of the plants becomes sick, it affects the balance of the garden.
Storytelling and Wisdom
Master gardener, painter, storyteller, and lover of souls, Leroy Campbell paints a beautiful hope for humanity through his art and through his words. In telling the stories he knows best, he is offering the wisdom and lessons of the elders as a gift to us all.
As part of the human experience, we are all searching for our place in the garden, our purpose, our connection, our significance in this world. Those stories are the most powerful gifts in the universe as they provide a sense of self and a foundation of wisdom based on patience, love, and discernment. Campbell’s vision is of a healthy garden, where each is whole, liberated and validated, where people are free to love who they are and in turn nurture others around them.
Sankofa and the Power of Art
Leroy Campbell’s paintings, infused with history, tie the past to the present in the practice of sankofa, the understanding that you can’t move forward until you receive the lessons of the past. The vulnerability of his art, his soul, his ability to tell a story through the use of acrylic, paper, tapestries, and organic materials, creates an opportunity for conversation, for something real, for the human connection that we are all desperately seeking.
Through this process, Campbell’s work becomes more than visual art. It is an invitation to reflection, a call to community, and a reminder of the lessons that keep us rooted in both history and hope.
Originally written by Laurie McCall for Pink Magazine
