This weekend is the second year our nation commemorates Juneteenth as a national holiday. That's the day in 1865, when 250,000 enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas learned they were free. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed more than two years before, but was not enforced in many areas still controlled by the confederates. Juneteenth is viewed by some as America's second independence day along with July 4. But we shouldn’t lose site of the fact that a quarter of a million people were denied their freedom for 900 days. It's the irony shared by Black war veterans, buried in three segregated cemeteries in Cincinnati. who where denied the very freedoms they fought for abroad, right here at home. This year as part of the Juneteenth weekend celebration, the Freedom Center will showcase the winners of its scholarship contest Norwood is raising a Juneteenth flag and issuing a resolution at Norwood City Hall. Those are just two events taking place in Greater Cincinnati. So while we celebrate, we also can't pretend the fight for equality for all is just a part of our past. Today, amazing organizations such as the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio continue the fight to transform generations by promoting personal empowerment and economic self-sufficiency. WLWT is proud to support the great work that is being done and invite you to do the same by making a small donation to help support their important work. In honor of Juneteenth, click here to donate $19 dollars to support the spirit of liberation that was felt on that first Juneteenth celebration. Finally, we encourage you to learn more about Juneteenth and it's connection with our past and present history.American investigative journalist Ida B. Wells said "The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them."Check out WLWT News 5 | Branden Frantz's team fundraising page for Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio (ulgso.org)
CINCINNATI — This weekend is the second year our nation commemorates Juneteenth as a national holiday.
That's the day in 1865, when 250,000 enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas learned they were free.
The Emancipation Proclamation was signed more than two years before, but was not enforced in many areas still controlled by the confederates.
Juneteenth is viewed by some as America's second independence day along with July 4.
But we shouldn’t lose site of the fact that a quarter of a million people were denied their freedom for 900 days.
It's the irony shared by Black war veterans, buried in three segregated cemeteries in Cincinnati. who where denied the very freedoms they fought for abroad, right here at home.
This year as part of the Juneteenth weekend celebration, the Freedom Center will showcase the winners of its scholarship contest
Norwood is raising a Juneteenth flag and issuing a resolution at Norwood City Hall.
Those are just two events taking place in Greater Cincinnati.
So while we celebrate, we also can't pretend the fight for equality for all is just a part of our past.
Today, amazing organizations such as the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio continue the fight to transform generations by promoting personal empowerment and economic self-sufficiency. WLWT is proud to support the great work that is being done and invite you to do the same by making a small donation to help support their important work.
In honor of Juneteenth, click here to donate $19 dollars to support the spirit of liberation that was felt on that first Juneteenth celebration.
Finally, we encourage you to learn more about Juneteenth and it's connection with our past and present history.
American investigative journalist Ida B. Wells said "The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them."
Check out WLWT News 5 | Branden Frantz's team fundraising page for Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio (ulgso.org)
