Update, June 18, 2022 / Glorious sunshine greets folks setting up for the inaugural Juneteenth event on Rotary Hill.
Original Post, June 9, 2022 / Naperville Neighbors United will host its first Juneteenth celebration from 1-4PM Sat., June 18. The family-friendly event will feature speakers, performances, activities and food.
According to a post to promote the event at visitnaperville.com, “On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with the news that the Emancipation Proclamation meant that people suffering under the chains of enslavement in the Confederacy were liberated. While chattel slavery would not be completely abolished in the United States until the ratification of the 13th Amendment in December of that year, celebrations of the announcement in Galveston that year became annual and spread throughout the nation over the years, becoming known as ‘Juneteenth.’”
What’s in a name? Juneteenth is a fusion of the month “June” and the number “nineteenth,” recognizing the emancipation of African Americans from slavery in the U.S. officially happened on June 19.
On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth was designated a federally-recognized holiday.
The Juneteenth “Freedom Day” celebration will be held at Rotary Hill along the Naperville Riverwalk. Public is welcome. Admission is free of charge.
