Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins grew up in Galveston, Texas where Juneteenth was first celebrated in 1865 when still enslaved Black people first learned they had been freed.

Union troops brought word more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring freedom for those living in the Confederate states,

“We celebrated regularly,” Hoskins said of Juneteenth, which was made an official federal holiday under former President Joe Biden’ s administration in 2021. “It took our country so long to even decide to recognize the holiday marking the end of slavery.”

Elected mayor of Forest Park on April 2, 2019, Hoskins was the first African American ever elected to any public office in the Village of Forest Park when he was elected to serve as a village commissioner in 2007.  He is now in his second term as mayor.

Even though Juneteenth has its origins in the very disturbing institution of slavery, Hoskins said, it’s also a huge symbol of progress in this country. 

“Slavery existed for 246 years and arguably shaped our society and shaped the way we treat each other and the laws and regulations and social norms for decades since,” he said. 

Hoskins helped launch the first Juneteenth celebration in Forest Park in 2009, as a commissioner and that year, also assisted in starting the annual Juneteenth Pool Party. This year that celebration took place at the park district’s Aquatic Center on June 14.  

Forest Park’s Juneteenth flag raising event took place June 2 with local residents and elected officials in attendance at Forest Park Village Hall.

Asked if he is concerned that African American freedoms or rights that were gained over the years could be lost, given the current administration’s efforts to roll back time, Hoskins said, “First of all, I would not limit it to African Americans. Juneteenth isn’t something that’s just for African Americans, it’s for Americans.” 

He went on to say that all Americans can lose freedoms. 

“Today, women don’t have the same right to health care as they did maybe two years ago and we’re seeing other freedoms slip away in terms of due process rights and other things. I’m concerned about Americans, period.”