Welch Celebrates Advancement of Freedom, Reflects on Work Still Ahead at Juneteenth Events
WESTCHESTER, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch welcomed community members for his annual Juneteenth Festival at Memorial Park in Hillside Thursday. Welch also joined celebrations throughout the suburbs, urging attendees in River Forest, Westchester, and DuPage County to celebrate freedom and reflect on the work still ahead.
“On Juneteenth, we recognize that the long road to freedom has not always been easy or direct,” Welch said. “Every step toward something better has been met by someone who wants to take us back, and we see that still today. That’s why our recognition of Juneteenth has never been more important. Because progress on that road is never assured; it has always come with struggle, it has always taken courage, and has always been born out of perseverance. I hope the unity and the sense of purpose we feel on Juneteenth are something we can all carry forward. Let’s continue to build community, listen to one another, and learn from our past. Because that’s how we’re going to continue building a stronger future together.”
Welch’s third annual Juneteenth Festival welcomed community members, local businesses, and elected officials from across the state. Featured performers include the Jesse White Tumblers, Simone Green, 1 Soul 1 Tribe, Muntu Dance Theatre, and the Proviso West High School Marching Band.
Juneteenth celebrates and honors African Americans’ journey to freedom in America. June 19, 1865, was the day word reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, that their emancipation had been made formal, though it had been so since January 1, 1863.
After becoming Speaker in 2021, Welch helped make Juneteenth a state holiday. It was recognized as a federal holiday shortly after.
