Juneteenth's history in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - While Monday is the official Juneteenth holiday, it marks the end of a week of celebration in Springfield.

Juneteenth Inc. is involved in many events related to the holiday throughout the city. The organization was started in 2020 to focus on education about and celebrations of Juneteenth.

"It's important because this is the true American Independence Day for all, because in 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was written, all sides were finally free," said Cherena Douglass, Co-creator of Juneteenth Inc.

Juneteenth Inc. hosted a breakfast on Monday at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. The event closed out Juneteenth celebrations while giving the organization the chance to educate the next generation of leaders on the history of Juneteenth.

"It gives all citizens a richer history and idea and where they came from," said Douglass. "By connecting and understanding all the rich histories that we have, we can be fuller and better citizens."

One of the the young adults at the breakfast was twelve-year-old Kamre Lott. He was chosen to sing at the even and said learning about Juneteenth has inspired him to talk to other kids about it.

"Not a lot of kids get the opportunity to learn about it and I'm glad I've learned so much about this topic and that I can now educate other young people about this," said Lott.

In celebration of Juneteenth, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library has a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by the President. Executive Director Christina Shutt says she hopes people come see the document and educate themselves about the history of Juneteenth.

"I hope that it encourages both people here in Springfield and Central Illinois, but really all Americans to think about 'how do we further live out the words of the Emancipation Proclamation?'" said Shutt. "How do we make things just a little bit more free?"