Jackson Community College

Juneteenth Festival to honor Benny Poole

Jackson Community College will host a Juneteenth Music Festival from 5:30-9 p.m. Friday, June 27 at the Jackson Armory Arts Village. There is no admission charge for this event.

Celebrate some great music as this Juneteenth event honors the lifetime community contributions of local musician Benny Poole.  Poole performs a variety of Big Band and jazz music and has been playing for a number of years.  Now in his retirement years, Poole’s love for making and performing music continues. With his signature tenor saxophone, he performs at many area venues such as the Bella Notte’ Ristorante, Hudson’s Grill, the Chicago Water Grill in Jonesville, and Cascades Falls. Poole hit the charts with a single “Pearl Baby Pearl” in 1967, which went to No. 12 at the same time as other greats such as B.B. King, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Marvin Gaye. The single has been re-issued several times in the United Kingdom and was used for a commercial in Hong Kong.   

All proceeds from the event will benefit the JCC College Incentive Program students.  CIP inducts sixth-grade students from various Jackson County schools with the promise of two years of free JCC college tuition after they graduate from high school, and is headed by Director of Multicultural Relations Lee Hampton. Students are selected by the principals of their schools, based upon the student's ability to benefit from the program. 

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of freedom for African Americans. Originally celebrated on June 19, it commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas and originated in Galveston in 1865. The observance of Juneteenth as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.  Today, Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement.  It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, cookouts and family gatherings.

For more information, contact the JCC Office of Multicultural Relations at (517) 796-8470.