In Fredrick Douglass’s most famous speech on the hypocrisy of American slavery, he pointed out the paradox of Independence Day: America declared every man had a right to liberty while at the same time enslaving millions of people. More than nine years after this speech, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in the Southern States freed. The reality of this freedom was not manifest however until the western most Confederate State of Texas was fully secured by the Union Army more than 2 1/2 years later in the early Summer of 1865, on the date of June 19th.

This date further signified the final fall of obstacles to the Ratification of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, 6 months later, which freed the remaining slaves in States that had fought for the Union but had still not outlawed slavery, such as the State of Kentucky. Harkening back to Fredrick Douglass’s criticism of the hypocrisy of Independence Day, June 19th became known as our 2nd Independence Day, or Freedom Day, celebrating the Freedom for all people when there is equity in Justice.

While this date has been celebrated throughout the country since 1865, it did not became a federal holiday in the United States until 2021. The celebration of this date is another step forward in bringing light to the pursuit of the ideals upon which our nation was founded. Locally, there are a number of events celebrating Juneteenth Freedom Day:

Friday, June 14th, the Village of Golf Manor has their 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration from 4 pm to 9pm. Admission is FREE. Family-friendly activities will be freely available. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. You can visit the village website for more information.

Saturday, June 15th through Sunday June 16th, is the 37th Annual Juneteenth Festival in Eden Park. Admission is FREE. The festival hours are noon to 9pm on Saturday, and 2pm through 6pm on Sunday. Activities include traditional parade of flags representing the African diaspora, family-friendly activities such as horseback riding, education pavilions, historical reenactments and more. The Juneteenth Festival will also offer food, art displays, merchandise vendors and two stages featuring live music. Musicians include local artists Rhythm of Soul, Jazz Renaissance, Last Boppers Cincy Brazil Samba and much more. You can visit the event website or call (513) 631-7289 for more information.

Also on Sunday, June 16th, will be the 2nd Annual Cincinnati Official Juneteenth Parade starting at 10 AM. The parade will start at the intersection of West Court and Linn Streets, journeying up Court Street and halting at the intersection of Plum and Richmond Streets. The parade will feature vibrant displays of culture, art, and music. You can visit the event website or call (513) 485-6985 for more information.

On Sunday June 23rd, Findlay Market will host an event from 10 AM to 4 PM on Sunday, celebrating the cuisines of Findlay Market’s various Black-owned businesses. You’ll be able to sample several special dishes that tie back to the history and importance of Juneteenth. You can visit the event website for more information.

So there are lots of opportunities throughout the weekend to celebrate Juneteenth Freedom Day. You can find resources related to diversity and inclusion by selecting the “Diversity & Inclusion” category tab on our Social Service “Utilization Library” page.