CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Monday marks the beginning of a weeklong commemoration of the end of slavery.
Juneteenth is the commemoration of June 19, 1865, when a declaration of freedom was issued in Galveston, Texas, freeing the black people who were still enslaved after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1862.
The day has risen in prominence over the last year, as 46 states have elected to make Juneteenth a paid holiday in the wake of the racial justice protests that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. A bill on Governor Pritzker's desk would make Illinois the 47th.
Mayor Lightfoot, along with members of the Chicago City Council Black Caucus, The Black Remembrance Project, and other elected officials will mark the Juneteenth holiday with a flag raising ceremony in Daley Plaza on Monday at 10 a.m.
Also on Monday, Cook County kicks off its weeklong celebration of Juneteenth, which is now a paid county holiday. Cook County officials will hold discussions, a cultural fair, and a march for justice on Saturday.
Related
