GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Celebrations are happening across West Michigan as the community honors Juneteenth.
The federal holiday commemorates the day that enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom — more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
The heat didn’t stop people from coming out to recognize freedom. The fourth annual Justice for All Juneteenth Jam took place at Calder Plaza in Grand Rapids Wednesday evening, where people could celebrate Black culture, art and businesses.
Earlier in the day, a Juneteenth parade was held in Grand Rapids, starting at the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Hall Street. Those in the parade marched to Dickinson Buffer Park for the Junior Juneteenth Celebration, where community members could take in things like African drums, dances and other traditions.
In Muskegon, organizers also put on their inaugural Juneteenth parade downtown. The host of the Junior Juneteenth Celebration in Grand Rapids said while the holiday is a time to have some fun together, it’s also so much bigger than that.
“So it’s not just about coming and dancing and having fun because that’s involved in it as well, it’s really about uniting, strategizing making sure we pay respect for our past, deal with our present,” said Jewellyne Richardson, host of Junior Juneteenth Celebration. “And then it’s about our future, the steps we’re going to take remain free.”
The event at Dickinson Buffer Park ends at 7 p.m. and the one at Calder Plaza ends at 8 p.m.
