National Juneteenth Museum visionary takes the seat as CEO, accelerating the capital fundraising process to reach $70 million goal
FORT WORTH, TEXAS (May 2, 2023) — The National Juneteenth Museum Board of Directors appoints the project’s visionary Jarred Howard as Chief Executive Officer, effective April 10, 2023. Howard worked behind the scenes for over seven years to ignite the vision of building a National Juneteenth Museum to support economic revitalization in the surrounding community. In his new role, he is responsible for operations, construction and accelerating fundraising to achieve the museum’s $70 million campaign goal. With Howard as CEO, the museum gains the leadership and business infrastructure needed to further inspire donor giving and prepare for construction.
Howard is an experienced executive with more than 20 years of knowledge in economic development, marketing and banking. His experience is vital to growing the infrastructure of the National Juneteenth Museum. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in supporting small businesses with the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce as the former Senior Vice President of Small Business and Entrepreneur Support.
With deep-seated roots as a fifth-generation Fort Worth native, Howard says “this project is personal.”
The Historic Southside neighborhood in Fort Worth, Texas, was once a thriving African American community deemed the “Black Wall Street of the South”. However years of disinvestment and neglect were produced from suburban sprawl and changing population dynamics. Currently, the neighborhood has the state’s lowest life expectancy and one of the highest infant mortality rates according to a 2019 UT Southwestern study.
“For the better part of the last 30 years or so, the neighborhood has been downtrodden and destitute. This development will be catalytic in the resurgence of its economic and cultural health,” said Jarred Howard, CEO and Visionary.
The National Juneteenth Museum is more than a museum — the site will include a 50,000-square-foot building that houses the museum, a business incubator, food hall for local chefs and restaurateurs, 250-seat theater and a black box flexible event space. As an economic driver for tourism and commerce for Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the campus will house operations that will help revitalize Fort Worth’s Historic Southside neighborhood’s infrastructure and create a space for new business, housing and a creative learning environment.
Jarred Howard, CEO and Visionary; Photo credit Kauwuane Burton Studios