Evanston residents brave heat for Juneteenth parade

Despite an extreme heat warning for the city, hundreds braved the weather to celebrate Juneteenth at Evanston’s sixth annual parade.

The route changed earlier this week to start at Evanston Township High School and end at the old Civic Center, a 1.3 mile walk slightly shorter than the originally-planned march from the corner of Dempster Street and Dodge Avenue to the Civic Center. In previous years, the parade went all the way from Robert Crown Community Center to Ingraham Park, but organizers made it shorter this time to accommodate younger and older walkers.

Juneteenth, or “Freedom Day,” commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865 to liberate the last remaining slaves in the Confederacy, which had ignored Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.

Kemone Hendricks, who organized the first Juneteenth celebration in Evanston, waves at the crowd from the passenger seat. Credit: Richard Cahan

Evanston started hosting a parade in observance of the holiday in 2020, organized by Kemone Hendricks of Evanston Present and Future. Former President Joe Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker made it a state holiday the same year.

A mix of both first-time and longtime attendees set up on Dodge Avenue to witness the parade. The ETHS Cheer Squad, the Pomkits, the Jesse White Tumblers and the South Shore Drill Team performed along the route.

The Evanston Township High School Pomkits head down Dodge Avenue. Credit: Richard Cahan

Faith Ridge, whose daughter is an ETHS cheerleader, was excited to see the team and attend the event for the first time.

“Evanston has always been big on education, and it’s the reason I relocated from downtown Chicago to the city,” Ridge said. “Coming out today in support of Juneteenth is not just a celebration of history, but a call for continued progress in racial justice. I love how Evanston takes the time to honor this day and their diligent focus on education and culture, as well as community building and support.”

C&W Market and Ice Cream Parlor, 1901 Church St., had special Juneteenth cups for the parade. The route directly passed the store and other Black-owned businesses in Evanston.

C&W Market and Ice Cream Parlor gave attendees and participants much-needed cold treats in special Juneteenth cups during the parade.

Resident Jamie Merre came out to support the community and was thankful for a breeze and some shade.

“[This is] my hometown, and such a wonderful celebration [of] when the last enslaved people found out in Texas that they were free,” she said. “I just like being part of a community. I just want to show my support.”

Nonprofits like the ETHS Foundation and schools like Oakton College also participated, and members of the City Council passed out flags to spectators.

Michael James welcomes marchers with sounds from his congo drums. “I bring the ancestors’ spirit,” he said. Credit: Richard Cahan

“We want the whole community to celebrate Juneteenth, to think about what it means, to think about what it means for our responsibilities right now,” Mayor Daniel Biss said just before the parade kicked off. “We’re just excited for this relatively young tradition that helps us come together as Evanstonians, celebrate our successes and think about the work left to do.”

Ridge said she appreciated the city making the effort to educate the community about Juneteenth.

“I’m really excited to see that they take time to celebrate freedom,” she said.

After the parade concluded, a celebration featuring and honoring the Divine Nine historically Black fraternities and sororities started at Ingraham Park behind the Civic Center. In addition to live music, local food vendors and a kids playzone at the party, Hendricks presented awards to community members and organizations for their racial justice work.

Evanston residents brave heat for Juneteenth parade

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Evanston residents brave heat for Juneteenth parade

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