GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Eastern Avenue on the city’s southeast side was blocked off for a few hours on Monday as dozens of people marched, waved flags, and pounded on African drums in honor of the Juneteenth holiday.
“Hey, it means we're going to catch on fire,” said Jewellynne Richardson as she danced to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power. “It means we about to, hey, represent the Black power to the fullest of our ability. It’s about to go down right here in the city of Grand Rapids, 49507. We don’t make no junk. We about it baby.”
Richardson, who helped organized the event, continued to dance and smile.
HAPPENING NOW: Dozens of people march in the Juneteenth parade down Eastern, headed toward Dickinson Park. // @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/boDkiq8xH5
— Lauren Edwards (@LaurenEdwardsTV) June 19, 2023
The march was escorted by the Grand Rapids Police Department and ended at Dickinson Park, where hundreds of people gathered for the festival.
Some people said this was the biggest holiday celebration of the summer.
“The way I feel, everybody should celebrate Juneteenth in the same they celebrate the Fourth of July,” said Angela Melton, who watched the parade alongside her husband. “Most companies do not give Juneteenth off like they do for the Fourth of July. My husband didn’t have it off. But, I asked him to take it off.”
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery. Specifically, it’s the time in mid-June in 1865 when Union troops marched into Texas to let the last group of enslaved Africans know they were free due to the Emancipation Proclamation.
“We should appreciate it more and celebrate it like the July 4th has been celebrated over the years,” said Carol Sterling, who recorded the parade on her phone. “A lot of us don’t know our history and I do believe once we know our history we should be very excited about it because our ancestors fought, died, blood, sweat, and tears, many years to get us to even where we are today.”
Last year, President Joe Biden made Juneteenth a federal holiday.
According to the Pew Center for Research, at least 28 states and the District of Columbia recognize Juneteenth as a public holiday, meaning government workers get the day off.
On Monday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that June 19 will be recognized as Juneteenth Celebration Daythroughout the state of Michigan.
“Some states and places do it well, and hopefully we here in Grand Rapids, Michigan, will get there eventually,” Sterling said.
Dozens of people, of all races and backgrounds, continued to fill Dickinson Park throughout the afternoon to watch spoken word performances and praise dances.
Richardson and others took time to honor African American icons like Sojourner Truth and Marcus Garvey, and the crowd quickly joined in.
“Why do this? For the next generation. That’s why I do it. I do it because I have 20, let me tell you, what number are you?” Richardson asked her granddaughter as she pulled her in.
“I’m No. 3,” she said.
“I have 20 grandchildren here in the city of Grand Rapids,” Richardson said. “I have no other choice but to step up and make sure that I make a difference in this community.”
