MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation invites the community to a vibrant celebration of freedom, culture, and unity at its annual Juneteenth event on Saturday, June 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center. South Academy Street will come alive with more than 75 vendors, live music, cultural activities, food trucks, face painting, and art displays.
"The Bradley Academy Museum and South Academy Street will be filled with live music and entertainment, more than 75 vendors, face painting, cultural art activities, food trucks - and more." - Parks and Rec Release
“We are looking forward to an incredible event,” said Shayla Mayo, Facility Coordinator. Highlights include free museum tours, live art by the Hodges, and stories from Bradley Academy Alumni. Dr. Aaron Treadwell of MTSU will deliver the opening remarks at 10 a.m., followed by performances from DJ Smooth, DJ Hartful, Snazzy Cheer, Tremaine Robinson, Michael Dillard, Ernest Newsom, Ashley Mushamba & Movement 4.0, and Aconundrum across two stages.
Again, Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the emancipation of enslaved persons in the United States, will be celebrated on June 21, 2025 in Murfreesboro.
MORE HISTORY - In 1806, Bradley Academy was built in Murfreesboro for the wealthy, only allowing white males to attend the school. Past President of the United States James K. Polk, even attended the small school that sits near the local Rutherford County square. Polk was the 11th President of America and served between 1845 and 1849, which was 40-years after construction started to build Bradley Academy.
In the 1830s, a second Bradley Academy was built, which was later used as a hospital during the Civil War. The school was badly damaged during the era of the Battle of Stones River, but eventually reopened with a new class… to serve the African American community in the 1880s.
In 1917, a new school was built and construction was completed in 1918. Vonchelle Stembridge, Facility Coordinator of Bradley, told WGNS News… In the 1900s, African American students had to walk to school as they were not allowed to ride the buses that transported white students to other nearby schools. Stembridge told us the student to teacher ratio was also unreasonable…
For details, contact Shayla Mayo at smayo@murfreesborotn.gov or Lynn Caldwell at lcaldwell@murfreesborotn.gov. The Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department continues its mission to offer inclusive programming and community-focused events that enrich quality of life.
