Lorain County prepares for Juneteenth celebrations

Commemorations and events are scheduled to begin next week throughout the county to mark the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S. Though the day has only been a federal holiday since 2021, it has been celebrated for generations by Black Americans. According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when soldiers of the Union Army arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas and delivered the news of emancipation. The day came two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all enslaved people in the Confederate states. June 19 came to be known as both Freedom Day and as Juneteenth, a portmanteau of "June" and "Nineteenth." Freedom did not come immediately to all, but Juneteenth marks the declaration that led to the eventual freedom of the roughly 250,000 enslaved people of Texas, which had become the last bastion of slavery in the waning days of the Civil War. Commemorations of Juneteenth began in the years immediately following the declaration, but originally were held mainly in Texas before spreading slowly but surely among Black communities in the South and later throughout the country. Early celebrations were marked by baseball games and rodeos, as well as cookouts and large public meals. These celebrations were often held at churches and private homes, as Black Americans were still largely barred from gathering in public spaces. After decades of spread and development, Juneteenth was finally recognized as a federal holiday in 2021. Celebrations of the day in Lorain County will begin next week on Friday, June 13, and continue through the weekend following June 19. The following is a list of Juneteenth celebrations in Lorain County compiled by the Lorain County Urban League Young Professionals. June 13 Oberlin: Screening and panel on the film "Beloved," adapted from the Toni Morrison novel of the same name, 2-6 p.m. Moffett Auditorium in the Mudd Center at Oberlin College, 148 W. College St. Oberlin: Juneteenth Fashion Show and Memorial at the Oberlin Gasholder Building, also known as "The Round House," 291 S Main St. from 6-8 p.m. June 14 Oberlin: Juneteenth Festival and Parade, George A Abram Pavilion, 40 Edison St. from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oberlin: Maafa Memorial Service, Westwood Cemetery, 455 Morgan St. at 6:30 p.m. June 16 Lorain: Juneteenth Bluesfest, Lorain County Metro Parks Lakeview Park, 1800 W. Erie Ave. from 3-7 p.m. June 17 Oberlin: Oberlin Community Services Juneteenth Cookout, Oberlin Community Services, 500 E. Lorain St. from 5-7 p.m. June 19 (Juneteenth) Lorain: Freedom 3x3 Basketball Tournament, Oakwood Park, 2047 E. 36th St. at 4 p.m. Lorain, Oberlin and Elyria: 2025 Juneteenth Caravan. Caravan will line up at Greater Victory Christian Ministries, 559 Reed Ave., Lorain, and set at 6 p.m. before driving to and through Oberlin and then Elyria. Lorain: Screening of the film "A Higher Law," at the Lorain Palace Theatre, 617 Broadway, at 6 p.m. June 20 Lorain: A Night of Black Excellence from the African American Community Fund, Lorain Brewery and Event Center, 500 Shipyard Way, 6-10 p.m. June 21 Elyria: Elyria Juneteenth parade and festival organized by the Elyria Black Legacy Connection. The parade will line up at the Elyria Athletic Complex, 601 Middle Ave. and step off at 11:15 a.m. The festival will take place in Ely Square from noon to 5 p.m. Elyria: The Elyria Black Legacy Connection's Smart Set Softball Game, West Park Recreation Field, 1200 Foster Ave. at 7:30 p.m. June 22 Lorain: Juneteenth Celebration and Business Expo in General Johnnie Wilson Park, Plant Street, from 2 p.m. until sunset. Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.