KASU Radio to Host Juneteenth Celebration June 17 with 'We Shall Overcome' Exhibit

KASU 91.9 FM, the public media service of Arkansas State University, is presenting “We Shall Overcome,” a photo exhibit honoring the history of the Civil Rights Trail sites through the lens of renowned photographer Art Meripol.

JONESBORO – KASU 91.9 FM, the public media service of Arkansas State University, is presenting “We Shall Overcome,” a photo exhibit honoring the history of the Civil Rights Trail sites through the lens of renowned photographer Art Meripol.

The 2026 Juneteenth celebration among the photos in the exhibit is 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, in the Humanities and Social Sciences Building lobby and atrium, 2401 Aggie Road.

This event is being held in conjunction with the KLEK-FM Juneteenth Celebration in Jonesboro and is free and open to the public. Reception sponsor is Northeast Arkies

Best/CelebrateLocalBusiness.com. Entertainment will be provided by the United Voices Gospel Choir directed by Dr. Marques J. Ruff.

KASU has also partnered with the Office of the Provost, College of Liberal Arts and Communication, and Arisa Health to bring 25 photos of these important sites to the public. Included are photos of Central High School in Little Rock, the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, and many other heritage locations.

Meripol originally took these photos for the National Addy award-winning book, “The Official United States Civil Right Trail: What Happened Here Changed the World,” commissioned by Lee Sentell. It’s one of Meripol’s favorite projects. A University of Arkansas journalism graduate, Meripol worked as a news photographer for 13 years after graduation.

From the old Arkansas Gazette he joined the staff of Southern Living magazine as senior travel photographer. After almost 25 years traveling and photographing the best of the South he left and is now a Birmingham-based freelance photographer. Meripol's clients include regional and national magazines as well as ad agencies and corporate clients. He also has an extensive portfolio of rock 'n' roll photography and had these photos displayed at the Arkansas Old State House Museum in Little Rock in 2024.

“Photographer Art Meripol has captured beauty in his images of places that were pivotal to the Civil Rights movement,” noted Mark Smith, KASU station manager. "KASU is proud to present this powerful photographic exhibit that pays tribute to a part of our history that should always be remembered and taught to future generations. We appreciate the opportunity to offer this exhibit as part of KLEK’s Juneteenth Celebration."

KASU is a 100,000-watt FM radio station, housed on the campus of Arkansas State University and is the public media service of the university. KASU is Arkansas’ oldest non-commercial public radio station, operating since 1957. The station has been an NPR member station since 1971. In addition to locally produced news and music programs, KASU pays to receive programming from NPR, American Public Media, and other sources.

One may contact LaDawn Fuhr, lfuhr@AState.edu, for details about the station’s “We Will Overcome” photo exhibit.