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June 9, 2008

KLRU presents Juneteenth Special

Austin, TX -- KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, presents a special television show in honor of the annual Juneteenth holiday. Juneteenth Jamboree airs Thursday, June 19, at 8 p.m. on KLRU (broadcast 18, cable 9). The special focuses on the history of African-Americans in Texas and offers a glimpse at some of Austin’s Juneteenth celebrations.

The first African slave arrived in Texas in 1528, but it took until June 19, 1865 to end slavery in the state. The anniversary of that day is celebrated as a holiday in Texas and several other states marking the date the last slaves in the U.S. were set free. In honor of Juneteenth, this program explains the history of blacks in Texas starting with the first Africans to arrive in the state.

The show also features a profile of Alvin Patterson, who passed away in 2007. Patterson is the namesake of the annual Alvin Patterson Battle of the Bands and Drumline Competition, which occurs each year as part of Juneteenth celebrations. This profile also features footage from the competition.

KLRU has produced a Web site to accompany the series at klru.org/juneteenth. This site features a transcript of the Alvin Patterson interview, additional footage and more.

About KLRU

KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, reflects, celebrates and inspires Central Texas through creative excellence,
community engagement and lifelong learning. Although primarily a television station providing locally produced and quality national programming, KLRU is also a non-profit organization helping to build a stronger community through educational workshops, community outreach projects and public events. Get more information about KLRU at klru.org.

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