Diverse Detroit crowd celebrates Juneteenth at Freedom Fest
Donovan Wright chose to spend his first Father's Day as a new father attending the Freedom Fest at Detroit's Eastern Market celebrating Juneteenth.
Although it will be a few years before his 9-month-old son will understand the significance of the day, Wright felt it was important to introduce his child to a tradition he marked with his family long before it became a national holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved Blacks.
"I knew about Juneteenth and things like that, but it wasn't community events like this or socially, you know, widely known for people put on events like that, so to be able to bring my son here to experience this — we couldn't turn down the opportunity," the 31-year-old father said Sunday.
Although Juneteenth has been celebrated in various parts of the U.S. for decades, this marked only the second year it has been a national holiday. President Joe Biden signed it into law last year as Juneteenth National Independence Day.
This holiday marks June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers belatedly announced the 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were free. The announcement came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves throughout the U.S.
On Sunday, music and other sounds blared from the speakers at the Eastern Market as a diverse crowd of people — some wearing green Juneteenth shirts — danced in joyful remembrance. Black-owned businesses filled the shed as the community gathered to uplift Black culture.
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"We're excited to celebrate Juneteenth because this is a continuation of celebrating the Black experience in America, but also here in the city of Detroit," said Charity Dean, president and CEO of the Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance.
A chorus of "amens" initiated the event after pastor Kimberly Brooks led an opening prayer.
African drummers and dancers entertained the crowd. Children played in the basketball court and bounce houses as their parents shopped at the food trucks.
Some sheltered in the shaded Ancestral Zone to reflect on their own family history. Others strolled along the Charles H. Wright exhibits featuring historical timelines of the African American journey to freedom.
The primary goal was to educate and entertain, according to organizers.
"So, music, culture, it's a whole total experience of African American history. And so this being a city where there's a predominantly Black population, we wanted to make sure that we are educating and entertaining and allowing people to build a foundation that will grow into more than just this weekend, but an entire year of improving the quality of life in residents in the city of Detroit," said 51-year-old Renard Richmond, co-chair of the Ancestral and Children's zone at the event.
Several years ago, the Freedom Fest started out small at Spirit Plaza. With the commitment of the city and many business partnerships, it grew into a largely held gathering at Eastern Market — giving Black-owned businesses an opportunity to grow also.
"I feel like especially on Juneteenth when we gained our freedom this is the best time to uplift our community and support each other and come together as one," said Atlantis Johnson, 23-year-old business owner of Lantii Lashed You.
The event was filled with passion, movement, and unity — a reflection of the emotions within Juneteenth.
"No more bounds. No more shackles. No more chains are holding us," said pastor Brooks.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Freedom Fest in Eastern Market celebrates Juneteenth
