City to raise Juneteenth Flag in advance of holiday festivities

Tomorrow – Friday, June 16 the City of Milwaukee’s Department of Public Works will once again raise the Juneteenth flag above the City Hall complex. Juneteenth Day is a nationwide celebration commemorating freedom proclaimed to all enslaved people of African descent in the South by Union General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865 in Galveston, Texas, nearly two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The Juneteenth flag was first raised at the City Hall complex in 2020 and has been raised every year since.

Common Council Members Milele A. Coggs, Khalif J. Rainey, Russell W. Stamper, II, Mark Chambers, Jr. Andrea Pratt, Lamont Westmoreland, and Larresa Taylor note the importance of the flag flying above the City Hall complex. “Because Juneteenth Day holds such a deep meaning to so many within our community, it is only right that the Juneteenth flag is raised and flown proudly at City Hall as people locally and across the country begin to celebrate this holiday,” they said.
The City will further recognize Juneteenth Day this year. For the first time ever City offices will be closed in recognition of Juneteenth. In an effort led by Alderwoman Coggs last year, the Common Council unanimously passed a resolution making Juneteenth Day an official City holiday. Juneteenth had previously been an optional holiday for City employees.

“My sincere hope is that beyond June 19, when the celebrating is done, people will reflect and learn from this history, and I am thankful that this year, as a city, we will recognize Juneteenth in a greater way,” said Alderwoman Coggs.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.