Corey Outlaw 
In honor of the Juneteenth holiday celebration, Chicago residents came out to take part in the 1865 Fest which was intended for the African-American citizens of Chicago to celebrate and remember our rich history and our struggle to get to where we are today.
The event focused on bringing together Black communities in Chicago, from the South Side to the West, while also recognizing famous historically significant Black achievements, from the scientific inventors that often fly under the radar in conversations about Black excellence, to more renowned Black revolutionaries and educators.
Carol G. Johnson created the 1865 Fest, as well as the West Side Cultural Alliance, a nonprofit organization designed to generate conversation and preserve the community in Chicago’s West Side. “…This is our 6th annual 1865 Fest. I organized it because a lot of the community organizations and the people on the West Side didn’t have anything that was happening for Juneteenth… so we came together and decided we wanted to create a festival to celebrate our culture.”
This 2-day event kicked off on June 19 in Garfield Park on the city’s West Side. It included many different activities for both adults and children alike, from fun bouncy castles to mini board games and live performances. Local Black artists performed such as Attack The Sound, Del Marie, and Zion Ali.
For more information about the 1865 Fest visit their website.
By Corey Outlaw
