LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - The annual Juneteenth Lima celebration took place on Saturday. Residents gathered downtown to celebrate Black history, culture, and achievement.
Juneteenth, which will be officially observed this Thursday, June 19, commemorates the day the last slaves were freed in Texas—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation and two months after the end of the Civil War. The annual celebration brings people of all backgrounds together to celebrate and appreciate the different cultures in the community.
"This is a total remembrance of what blacks in this country went through and persevere to be where we can do the things we can do today, and to really to go two and a half years after the Emancipation by the nation to realize that, Oh, you are also free, which is why this is so important. That is a true freedom day for us in the United States," said Marc Wright, chair of the Juneteenth Lima Planning Committee.
The annual celebration brings people of all backgrounds together to celebrate and appreciate the different cultures in the community.
"It's celebrating the entire community. To be honest with you, there is a diverse group of people here today, and it's so needed, because it's about our people, and not just the black community. But today we're celebrating the black community, pulling out unity in the community, and I am so happy to be a part of that," said Dorothy Love'll, published author who joined the celebration.
A new addition to this year’s celebration was the parade, and according to organizers, it will be a staple for years to come.
"We are so thankful for over 60 businesses participants who are in that parade from the first inaugural parade. It was absolutely amazing. I just can't wait to see the footage behind it. But we feel that it was a great success, and it is here to stay," said Wright.
Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday in 2021. Most banks and government offices will be closed in observance on Thursday.
