Two Tuscaloosa Students Win $500 Each for Juneteenth Essays

The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ® Eta Xi Omega Chapter with the Uplift Our Local Community Initiative in collaboration with the Cultured Pearls Foundation hosted a “Voices of Freedom” essay contest.

This was in partnership with the Tuscaloosa Branch of the NAACP, the Alabama Power Foundation, and Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa with 92.9 WTUG, Praise 93.3, 105.1 The Block, and Tuscaloosa Thread.

Get our free mobile app

Essays were submitted by area middle and high school students who provided insight into the impact of the Juneteenth experience. These essays demonstrated a deep understanding of topics that ranged from the historical significance of Juneteenth, how it personally impacted their lives, and how Juneteenth can help shape a better America.

Photo Courtesy of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ® Eta Xi Omega Chapter

Essay winners were announced during the Tuscaloosa Branch of the NAACP Celebration in the Park on Saturday, June 17 at Palmore Park. The students were presented with Alabama Power Foundation memento $500 checks and gift cards from the Peach Cobbler Factory of Tuscaloosa.

Middle School Winner

Mason Bowden, a student at Echols Middle School, discussed how “enslaved Africans used their strength and wisdom to revolutionize the world. While they changed the world, they also changed minds.”

Photo Courtesy of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ® Eta Xi Omega Chapter

Bowden’s essay focused on growth and revealed that “without that day on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, TX, I would not have had the liberty to write such an essay and know that my voice and person matter regardless of the complexion of my skin.”

Photo Courtesy of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ® Eta Xi Omega Chapter

High School Winner

A’Kirah Doney, a student at Holt High School felt that “it is past time for America to recognize the importance of African American freedom. The historical legacy of Juneteenth demonstrates the importance of never giving up hope in difficult times.”

Doney’s essay was a reminder that “Juneteenth highlights the necessity of never giving up hope in difficult times. This is why Juneteenth is more important now than ever.”

Photo Courtesy of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ® Eta Xi Omega Chapter

Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa and all partners congratulate Bowden and Doney for their award-winning essays.

LOOK: 50 essential civil rights speeches

Many of the speakers had a lifetime commitment to human rights, but one tried to silence an activist lobbying for voting rights, before later signing off on major civil rights legislation. Several fought for freedom for more than one oppressed group.

Keep reading to discover 50 essential civil rights speeches.

LOOK: 28 Modern Black History Makers & Moments

LOOK: Here are the biggest HBCUs in America

More than 100 historically Black colleges and universities are designated by the U.S. Department of Education, meeting the definition of a school "established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans."

StudySoup compiled the 20 largest historically Black colleges and universities in the nation, based on 2021 data from the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Each HBCU on this list is a four-year institution, and the schools are ranked by the total student enrollment.

Filed Under: Featured

Categories: Articles, Community 411, Local News