URBANA, Ill. (WAND) — As Juneteenth -- a day commemorating the end of slavery after the Civil War -- comes closer, local communities are gearing up for the holiday. Urbana hosted their first event, "Juneteenth 2025: Reflections and Reverence Ceremony," on Thursday.
Newly-elected Mayor of Urbana DeShawn Williams says as conversations surrounding Juneteenth become more consistent, its important to continue educating others. "People are finally getting to a space and understanding the importance of the history. For me, it's very important that we ramp it up even more."
For the 160th anniversary of the first Juneteenth, the city of Urbana has events planned throughout the week, including "Soulful Streets: A Juneteenth Food Truck Festival" highlighting local African American-owned food vendors and "Understanding Juneteenth: History, Liberation, and Legacy" with panel discussions, interactive events, and presentations. They will also have a Juneteenth Parade on June 19 at 1:00 p.m..
The City of Urbana will continue updating their Juneteenth schedule on their social media.
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