Milwaukee – The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors Black Caucus released the following statement in celebration of Juneteenth Day:

“We are overjoyed to once again be able to observe Juneteenth Day in person this year, especially given that this marks the 50th anniversary of Milwaukee’s storied celebration. For many of us, Juneteenth Day is more than just a time to connect with our community. It is a day to honor our history and chart our future.

“It is heartening to see the federal government recognize Juneteenth Day as an official holiday, as Milwaukee County did last year. We are also pleased to see communities across Wisconsin such as Wausau and Steven’s Point host their first official Juneteenth celebrations, and proud that Milwaukee County continues to lead the nation on promoting racial equity.

“We encourage ALL Milwaukee County residents to celebrate Juneteenth Day, not only as an important day for Black Americans, but as an historic date in our collective journey towards justice and equity. Celebrating Juneteenth Day is important to all because Black history is American history.”

Juneteenth Day commemorates June 19, 1865, the day more than 250,000 enslaved Black people were freed by the union army in Galveston, Texas, two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors will have a booth at the annual Northcott Neighborhood House Juneteenth Day celebration on Saturday, June 19. The event begins at 10 a.m. on N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., from Center to Ring streets.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email