NORRISTOWN — Tuesday morning’s sweltering temperatures didn’t deter dozens of people from witnessing the Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony in downtown Norristown.
Montgomery County government staff, row officers, legislators, and judicial representatives were present for the showcasing of a flag created in 1997 that marked the effective emancipation of enslaved individuals.
Attendees in the crowd assembled outside the Montgomery County Courthouse were seen holding miniature versions of the Juneteenth flag displayed on the flagpole.
“This holiday is a celebration of freedom. It’s also a recognition of a time when so many people were unjustly denied their freedom,” said Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Jamila Winder.
Winder, the county’s first elected African American female commissioner, secured her leadership role following the 2023 general election. She kicked off ceremonial proceedings by acknowledging those who came before her — both throughout her own life and in history.
“As an African American woman and the first Black woman to hold this position in Montgomery County, it is personally important to emphasize why we raise this flag and celebrate this holiday. If it was not for the events leading to June 19, 1865, I would not be standing here,” she said.
Juneteenth, observed on June 19, marks the day Union Major General Gordon Granger and his soldiers reached Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to inform those there that the “war had ended and that the enslaved were now free,” according to the National Registry of Juneteenth Organizations and Supporters.
The 13th amendment, passed in January 1865 in the U.S. Constitution, was later ratified in December 1865 to abolish slavery nationwide, according to the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
Legislation signed by former Gov. Tom Wolf in 2019 designated June 19 as “Juneteenth National Freedom Day” in Pennsylvania. It became a county holiday in 2020, and a federal holiday in 2021.
Montgomery County Chief of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chief Donna Richemond read a proclamation issued on behalf of State Rep. Matt Bradford, D-70th Dist. Another component of Tuesday’s proceedings brought Montgomery County Judges Hakim Jones and Nicole Tate-Phillips to read the Emancipation Proclamation.
Tate-Phillips stressed it’s a “very important day in America’s history.” It was a sentiment Winder shared.
“We celebrate Juneteenth, freedom day, because African American freedom is part of American freedom. It is not distinct. There is no freedom until we all can be free,” Winder said, adding “we all know the relentless struggles for equity, justice and respect that have taken place between 1865 and today.”
Winder also underscored the importance of acknowledging the past and continuing to work each day, she highlighted several efforts being made related to advancing initiatives related to maternal health, affordable housing, and voting rights.
“In Montgomery County, we believe all are valued and welcomed,” she said. “We strive toward advancement opportunities for everyone, and this includes reducing and eliminating barriers to wellbeing, safety and success.”
Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Neil Makhija agreed, noting previous endeavors such as raising the Pride flag earlier this month.
“This does not happen everywhere,” he said. “Not every county in Pennsylvania is recognizing Juneteenth, recognized raising the Pride flag, and the importance of that, and what this says about us here in Montgomery County is that we are taking a moment to recognize our country’s history, where we’ve been, where we are today and where we still have a long way to go.”
Along with Winder, Makhija holds a historic role as the first Indian-American and South Asian American elected county commissioner. Referring to the leadership on the county commissioners board, he observed how the administration “represent(s) a leadership in county government that (has) never been seen in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
Keeping that in mind, he emphasized: “Viewing every aspect of county government, and thinking about how is this affecting constituents, residents in our community that have been historically excluded?”
Those questions could be applied to a myriad of entities, he added, ranging from judicial systems to health care and voting access.
But as elected officials came together to hoist the flag up the flagpole, they took a moment to appreciate what the day represents as work continues throughout the county.
“I think particularly on Juneteenth, we recognize how far we’ve come but still remain committed, as Commissioner Winder said, to view where we need to go in the future and the work that can be done,” he said.
