Juneteenth celebrations throughout West Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (WOOD) – Celebrations are taking place throughout West Michigan to honor Juneteenth Day.

The national holiday commemorates the day enslaved people in Texas gained their freedom – more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

The heat didn’t stop people from taking to the streets and celebrating their freedom. On Wednesday night, the fourth annual Justice for All Juneteenth Jam was held at Calder Plaza in Grand Rapids, where people could celebrate black culture, art and businesses.

Earlier in the day, Grand Rapids hosted a Juneteenth parade that began at the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Hall Street. Parade participants marched to Dickinson Buffer Park for the Junior Juneteenth Celebration, where community members were able to experience things like African drumming, dancing and other traditions.

In Muskegon, organizers also held their first Juneteenth parade downtown. The host of the Junior Juneteenth Celebration in Grand Rapids said that while the holiday is an opportunity to have fun together, it is much bigger than that.

“So it’s not just about coming and dancing and having fun, because that’s part of it too, it’s really about coming together and strategizing to make sure we’re paying respect to our past and dealing with our present,” said Jewellyne Richardson, host of the Junior Juneteenth Celebration. “And then it’s about our future, the steps we’re going to take remain free.”

The event at Dickinson Buffer Park ends at 7 p.m. and the event at Calder Plaza ends at 8 p.m.