‘This is bigger than me’: Tulsa Juneteenth director carries on her mother’s legacy

Thousands are filling Greenwood this weekend for the Tulsa Juneteenth Festival.

It’s one of the largest celebrations in the country—and a deeply personal one for the woman leading it.

Executive Director Lauren Corbitt isn’t just running the festival. She’s continuing a legacy her mother began more than a decade ago.

“This is something that’s very, very near and dear to me,” she said. “I really just hope people are able to come and see that we are all family—and that we can come together and have an amazing time.”

This year’s theme—Family Reunion—isn’t just about crowds and community. It’s a tribute to the roots that made the festival possible.

Corbitt’s mother, Sherry Gamble Smith, helped bring Juneteenth back to Greenwood 11 years ago.

“She was a signal of unity,” Corbitt said. “She taught me to be humble in this position, to love everybody.”

As president of the Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce, Smith used her platform to fight for North Tulsa and the Black community.

In July 2022, she was killed in a murder-suicide at her home in Bixby.

“There’s not a lot of places where I don’t feel a connection to her,” Corbitt said. “But this—in particular.”

Lauren had already been helping behind the scenes. When it came time to take over, she didn’t hesitate.

“I told them I would think about it,” she said. “But it didn’t take much thinking. I knew it was something that needed to continue to move forward.”

Now she’s stepping into her mother’s shoes—and doing it with pride.

“I have been able to step in those very, very big shoes,” she said. “And continue forward in confidence and in love for this community.”

This year’s festival is expected to draw more than 50,000 people to the Greenwood District.

It’s four days of music, food, reflection, and joy—a living tribute to a mother’s vision and a daughter’s strength.

“She would be smiling ear to ear,” Corbitt said. “Just to see that not only we continued, but we have grown, we have expanded.”

Corbitt hopes to remain involved for years to come. But like her mother, she’s already thinking about what comes next.

“We elevate and we grow,” she said. “And I know there will be somebody coming behind me that will be able to do the same things that I’m doing.”

One of the festival’s most anticipated events is Friday night’s Greenwood Block Party.

The street will close for live music, food trucks, and a special tribute to Sherry Gamble Smith—through her favorite tradition, the Electric Slide.

The Tulsa Juneteenth Festival is free and open to all.

You can find the full schedule at https://www.tulsajuneteenth.org.