BLOOMINGTON — "Black History is American history and American history is Black history," said Jeff Woodard, director of marketing for the McLean County Museum of History. Juneteenth, a federal holiday since 2021, represents the end of slavery in the United States under the Emancipation Proclamation. The holiday has been celebrated for over 150 years, but the first-ever celebration in Bloomington took place on the quad of Illinois Wesleyan University in 1993, according to Andrew Thomas, chairperson for the Bloomington-Normal Black History Project since October 2022.
Thomas "Last year we celebrated 30 years, and this year we will be celebrating once again to continue this movement," Thomas said. "Juneteenth encompasses a historical account of law, justice, Black history, which has an educational component, and remembrance. Juneteenth also makes conversation for local Black historians to be recognized for their work, so when we can recognize people on a local level like, we can remember Caribel Washington and Dr.
Mildred Pratt, and we can also remember people like Frederick Douglas and Ida B. Wells who gave speeches about Black emancipation." Washington and Pratt are credited as founding members of the B-N Black History Project in 1982.
This year, the organization, in partnership with the history museum and the City of Bloomington, will celebrate Juneteenth from 11 a.m.-4 p.
m. Saturday, June 22, at Miller Park. The event will feature kids activities, food trucks, informational.
