June marks what’s known as the Month of Freedom. Later this month, Juneteenth celebrations will take center stage. Some Democratic state lawmakers started the month with an event at the Statehouse on Monday.
Students from Eastmoor High School in Columbus sang the popular James Weldon Johnson anthem "Lift Every Voice and Sing" as part of a recognition of Juneteenth.
Sen. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) said Juneteenth is more than a celebration of freedom.
"It is a reminder of the resilience, the strength and unwavering spirit of African Americans, who endured and overcame, the horror and the vicious and malicious brutality of slavery and a time for, reflection on the progress we have made and the challenges that lie ahead in our ongoing pursuit of equality and justice," Craig said.
Rep. Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) said while this is a time to celebrate, Black Ohioans need to continue to push for change to combat racism.
“As legislators and citizens, we must do everything in our power to eradicate the lasting effects of our nation’s painful past. This means enacting structural reforms to our laws and policies that continue to haunt Black people across the state of Ohio," Jarrells said.
June 19 marks the actual day of the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans. It honors the day in 1865 when the Emancipation Proclamation was finally enforced in Texas, two-and-a half years after President Abraham Lincoln announced it would go into effect and after all other states had ended slavery.
Events are planned throughout Ohio and the nation on that day, including the JuneteenthOhio Festival which will be June 15–16 at Genoa Park in Columbus.
