Celebrating Juneteenth In Illinois
Juneteenth flag
Juneteenth is observed on June 19. It commemorates the day in 1865 when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger of the Union Army, issued an order informing enslaved people in Texas that they were free. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued years earlier. Rising calls for racial justice have led more people and organizations to recognize Juneteenth. In 2021, Illinois lawmakers approved making it a state holiday.
The 21st was joined by three guests to talk about Juneteenth as a state holiday; how people are celebrating; and the commercialization of the day.
Guests:
Cherena Douglass, Co-Director of Juneteenth, Inc. in Springfield
Tracy White, Festival Coordinator of the Quad City Juneteenth Festival
Jeff Woodard, Director of Marketing and Community Relations at McLean County Museum of History
Prepared for web by Zainab Qureshi
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