2025 Milwaukee Juneteenth parade, festival celebrate freedom

MILWAUKEE - A day to commemorate freedom, Juneteenth celebrations happened across Milwaukee on Thursday.

Juneteenth in Milwaukee

Local perspective:

Milwaukee is home to one of the country's longest-running Juneteenth celebrations, now in its 54th year.

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"I remember when Juneteenth used to come down Center Street. This is like my 50th one," said Allison Sanders. "The heart of the city, the people, the culture. Milwaukee is a wonderful place."

Thousands of people packed the streets on Milwaukee's north side to celebrate on Tuesday. Revelers at the parade and street festival on King Drive rejoined for freedom.

"We broke through the chains. Mentally, some of us are still there, but we can come out of it and come together and celebrate each other," said Raykell Burnett. "Let’s celebrate these brown skins y'all."

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The festival included food, vendors, music, games and more. Several outreach groups connected with people, too.

"It’s good to be able to promote positivity within a community," said Destini Stokes with City Outreach.

"A lot of people in the African American community do neglect their mental health, so that’s one of the things we target," City Outreach's Lesa Williams said.

Both Mayor Cavalier Johnson and County Executive David Crowley spoke about the importance of celebrating the history and culture of the African American community.

What's next:

New this year, Juneteenth Day festivities will extend to the Summerfest grounds. The community is invited to join in celebrating music and culture with Juneteenth programming starting at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Federal holiday

The backstory:

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. On June 19, 1865, soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War was over. The holiday observes the date "the people of Texas were informed all slaves are free." It came two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

In 2021, after decades of lobbying, Juneteenth became a federal holiday. That came thanks to huge efforts by people like Miss Opal Lee, also known as the grandmother of Juneteenth.

Official statements

What they're saying:

FOX6 News received statements from officials recognizing Juneteenth. They are listed below in the order in which they were received.

Milwaukee Ald. Milele Coggs:

"Juneteenth Day means so much to so many in our community, and should serve as a time to observe, reflect, and celebrate, as well as become energized to tackle important issues still in front of us. With the addition of Juneteenth activities at Summerfest this year, the 2025 celebration will be the largest one yet, and I encourage the community to join in and have fun during the full day of events."

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley:

"Juneteenth is a day to celebrate the rich history and culture of the African American community, while also serving as a powerful reminder that freedom has always been hard-won. As a young Black man and Milwaukee County’s first Black County Executive, I believe it’s more important than ever for Milwaukeeans to come together and celebrate Juneteenth. Today, we honor the strength of our ancestors, the voice of our community, and the promise of a future where freedom, justice, and opportunity belong to everyone.  

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Vice-Chair Felesia Martin:

"The history of slavery is an abomination that we will never let go of — nor should we. It was a practice that was normalized as a backbone of our country’s class system and economy; but that torture stripped away the very meaning of what it meant to be human. It wasn’t until this day, 160 years ago in Galveston, Texas, that the words of the Emancipation Proclamation reached some of the final plantations and slaves.

"In no way have we moved past the legacy of slavery and the lasting damage it has caused to communities of color. But there is no doubt that we have made progress and continue to move in the right direction — and that is what we celebrate today. We have persevered and risen up despite all the odds being stacked up against us time and again, and we have woven ourselves into the fabric of this country, not as slaves, but as a remarkable cultural force that has dictated our trajectory. 

"From entrepreneurship to food to the arts, so many aspects of our culture have become engrained in communities across Wisconsin and our country. And the very progress we can all celebrate, whether that be increasing access to affordable and quality health care, workers rights, and protecting reproductive freedom, is due to Black voters, and in particular, Black women. Despite being some of the last people to get the right to vote, we have been the reason, time and again, that we have elected leaders who want to continue pushing us in the right direction against those who would rather drag us back in time. 

"We mourn our horrific history and its impact, but we celebrate our strength and resilience in moving forward to a better future."

Editor's note: This story was updated with information and interviews from Thursday's celebrations.

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