Despite an extreme heat warning for the city, hundreds braved the elements to celebrate Juneteenth in Evanston’s sixth annual parade.
The route was changed earlier this week to begin at Evanston Township High School and end at the old Civic Center, making the 1.3-mile walk slightly shorter than the originally planned march from the corner of Dempster Street and Dodge Avenue to the Civic Center.
The parade used to run from Robert Crown Community Center to Ingraham Park, but organizers cut it short this year to accommodate both younger and older walkers.
Juneteenth, or “Freedom Day,” commemorates the abolition of slavery in the United States. Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, to free the Confederacy’s last remaining slaves, who had ignored Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.
Kemone Hendricks of Evanston Present and Future organized the holiday parade in 2020. Former President Joe Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021, while Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker declared it a state holiday the same year.
A mix of first-time and returning attendees gathered on Dodge Avenue to watch the parade. The ETHS Cheer Squad, Pomkits, Jesse White Tumblers, and South Shore Drill Team all performed along the route.
Faith Ridge, whose daughter is an ETHS cheerleader, was thrilled to see the team and attend the event for the first time.
“Evanston has always been big on education, and it is the reason I relocated from downtown Chicago to the city,” Ridge told me. “Today’s support for Juneteenth is more than just a historical celebration; it is also a call for continued progress in racial justice.
I appreciate Evanston’s efforts to commemorate this day, as well as their dedication to education, culture, community building, and support.”
Throughout the parade, C&W Market and Ice Cream Parlor provided attendees and participants with much-needed cold treats in special Juneteenth cups.
Jamie Merre, a resident, came out to support the community and expressed gratitude for the breeze and shade.
“[This is] my hometown, and such a wonderful celebration [of] when the last enslaved people found out in Texas that they were free,” said the woman. “I just enjoy being part of a community. “I just wanted to show my support.”
Nonprofits like the ETHS Foundation and schools like Oakton College also took part, and City Council members distributed flags to attendees.
“We want the whole community to celebrate Juneteenth, to think about what it means, to think about what it means for our responsibilities right now,” Mayor Daniel Biss said just before the parade began. “We are just excited for this relatively young tradition that helps us come together as Evanstonians, celebrate our successes and think about the work left to do.”
Ridge said she appreciated the city’s efforts to educate the community about Juneteenth.
“I am really excited to see that they take time to celebrate freedom,” she told me.
Following the parade, a celebration honoring the Divine Nine historically Black fraternities and sororities began at Ingraham Park, behind the Civic Center.
Hendricks presented awards to community members and organizations for their racial justice work at the party, which also featured live music, local food vendors, and a children’s playzone.
