CLEVELAND, Ohio — More than a century and a half after slavery ended in the U.S., the country is celebrating freedom and looking ahead to the future.
Cleveland’s third annual Juneteenth Freedom Fest is happening Friday and Saturday. The 2-day celebration features art, music, speakers, food and local businesses.
“We’re trying to celebrate the liberation of African Americans. And I think that’s just beautiful. We just need more of that. I hope we can celebrate it more than just Juneteenth, but this is a start,” said Stina Aleah, one of the featured artists at the event.
Juneteenth marks the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved African Americans received word of their emancipation and the Union victory in the American Civil War. It did not become an official federal holiday until 2022.
In the wake of the 2020 racial justice protests, several Cleveland organizations formed the #VoicesofCLE Public Art Project as a way to combat racism as a public health crisis. The following year, the movement turned into a Juneteenth celebration aiming to “educate, celebrate, and activate participants around the history of Black culture.”
Prior to the public celebrations, families like the Montgomery's would hold their own smaller-scale events to commemorate Juneteenth.
“I would have gatherings in my backyard and just have my family share something,” explained Grace Montgomery.
The family said they’ve enjoyed celebrating with a broader community and the next generation.
“There’s so many entrepreneurs out here that we’re not aware of, so that’s why I like to be here - to just become educated about what’s out here and the things that are offered in Cleveland near and far,” said Khamia Montgomery.
Her sister Dania Montgomery, who brought along her baby, added, “It’s something that I want him to know - the reason why we celebrate it is because that’s a big thing for African Americans.”
Organizers said the event is as much about honoring the past as it is about looking to the future.
“When I think about Juneteenth, what it represents to me is opportunity. Often for those of us from underserved communities, underrepresented groups, a lot of times you lose hope,” said Alan Nevel, the Senior Vice President Chief Equity and Community Impact Officer at MetroHealth.
As the headline sponsor of the event, Nevel said the healthcare system is focused on closing health disparities and promoting equity in healthcare and beyond.
“We think of everything that’s transpired with COVID, with racial injustice, all of those things, and we realized the MetroHealth system has an opportunity to take a leadership role in the community,” he explained.
Freedom Fest will conclude Saturday with a day full of speakers, performances, vendors and more. You can find more information, including a full festival lineup, by clicking here.
Watch live and local news any time:
Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.
You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We're also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here.
