Taylor Anthony 
The third annual Juneteenth celebration at Dusable Black History Museum brought the community together for a day of celebrating Black culture, freedom and fun. This event is one of the largest observations of the holiday in the city.
Dr. Kim Dulaney, the Vice President of Education and Programs at DuSable Museum says this event is a communal effort and would not be the success it has been without community partners. “Our annual Juneteenth celebration is where we come together and commemorate freedom enforcement day. The day that enslaved people were told they were free,” said Dulaney.
June 19, 1865 is the day when the last enslaved people down in Texas learned they had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation nearly two and a half years earlier.
Despite the heat wave with temperatures over 90 degrees, the community enjoyed the food, music, small business vendors, free museum entrance and more. Also 17-year-old Jayla Cash was named Chicago’s 2024 Miss Juneteenth pageant winner at the ceremony earlier in the day. “I think it’s very special, very memorable and something that brought the community together from all different aspects,” Cash said.
This daylong celebration continued to further bring visibility around the significance of this holiday and honor Black history.
“This is fantastic, I love it,” said Terrence Horn, the procurement manager with the Obama Foundation. “Everyone can come out and have a good time, be around each other, no violence. I love it, I just want to keep that good spirit. Let’s take it on into the next year and into more events.”
By Taylor Anthony, Northwestern University/Medill
Instagram: @TaylorAnthonyTV
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