Jacksonville, FLA (June 13, 2023) - The Jax Melanin Market will host over 150 Black-owned businesses, educational experiences and a variety of entertainment for the whole family in honor of Juneteenth. The Juneteenth Melanin Market will take place on Saturday, June 17 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 822 A. Philip Randolph Blvd.
Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, is a national holiday recognizing the freedom of all people from enslavement on June 19, 1865. On this day, over 250,000 enslaved people were set free in Galveston, Texas more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
As the most anticipated Juneteenth celebration in Florida, the Jax Melanin Market includes vendors from local Black-owned businesses, carnival stilt walkers, a kid’s zone, food trucks and entertainment from local artists such as Genesis Archer, The Katz Downstairz, Broadway Louie, Shake Culture Dance and more.
The Melanin Market will also host educational booths and tours during the celebration to share the history of Juneteenth. Information on the origins of the holiday and the Gullah Geechee, who were descendants of Central and West African ancestors who arrived in the United States through slavery, will be available. The Gullah Geechee brought traditions and cultural influence to Jacksonville’s Eastside. Guests can also participate in a tour of the Old City Cemetery, the historical burial ground for many of Jacksonville’s prominent African American families and African American soldiers from the Civil War.
During the celebration, The Melanin Market will also honor four influential Jacksonville women:
· Joyce Morgan: The first African American female property appraiser in Duval County. She proudly serves District 1 and has created many new projects for the area.
· Glenda Hopkins: The first African American female firefighter in Jacksonville. She spent 27 years on the job and hopes to inspire more women to join the department.
· Donna Deegan: A Jacksonville native who was recently elected as the city’s first female mayor. Deegan aims to create “change for good” for the city of Jacksonville.
· Pat McCollough: Donna Deegan’s campaign manager and first African American female campaign manager to win a mayoral campaign in Jacksonville.
In support of its mission to help small minority-owned businesses grow and prosper in the local economy, the Jax Melanin Market is pledging to distribute $10,000 in grants to 20 small businesses this year. Each quarter, the Melanin Market will select five business owners to receive a $500 micro-grant to pay for business-related expenses to elevate their business. Thanks to a new partnership with Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC., the Jax Melanin Market will double the number of micro-grants that will be distributed at the Juneteenth Melanin Market.
To learn more, please visit jaxmelaninmarket.com.
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About Jax Melanin Market
The Melanin Market's mission is to serve as a cultural destination and marketplace that highlights black-owned businesses while providing creative place-making outlets for community fellowship.
About Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC
Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) is a family-owned independent Coca-Cola bottler. Coke Florida has an exclusive sales and distribution territory that covers over 21 million consumers across 47 Florida counties, and includes the major metropolitan markets of Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. Coke Florida markets, sells, manufactures, distributes, and merchandises over 600 products of The Coca-Cola Company and other partner companies. The company is the third largest privately held and the sixth largest independent Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. The company is also one of the largest Black-owned businesses in the United States. Coke Florida was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.