MILWAUKEE — To mark its 50th anniversary, Milwaukee’s Juneteenth Day Parade and Celebration took place Saturday, June 19. The parade started at 8 a.m. from 14th and Atkinson and traveled to Burleigh and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
The 2021 Juneteenth Parade was broadcast live on Milwaukee's TMJ4. The station produced historical and educational pieces to run during the 8-10 a.m. broadcast on June 19.
TMJ4 General Manager, Joe Poss, added: "TMJ4 is honored to bring the Juneteenth parade to a television audience. We have been working closely with Northcott Neighborhood House and the parade team to tell the important stories of Milwaukee's Juneteenth celebration and the people behind it."
Juneteenth Day commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States. The world-wide event, dating back to June 1865, began when the Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas with the news that the war had ended and the enslaved were now free. The Juneteenth Day Celebration in Milwaukee is among the oldest and longest running such parades in the nation.
Opening Ceremonies, signaling the start of the festival, kicked off at 9:30am. with festivities running along King Drive, between Burleigh and North Avenue. All activities will end by 4 p.m.
To keep community residents safe, Northcott Neighborhood House (NNH), the organizer of the Juneteenth Day Celebrations, made the decision to cancel last year’s event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, NNH is working with its health partners, Milwaukee Health Department, and the Milwaukee Heritage Health Center, to set safety standards as well as follow the guidelines set by the Center for Disease Control.
Other features and related events hosted by the Northcott Neighborhood House include:
- Northcott Neighborhood House, Inc. and Jammin’ 98.3 are searching for Miss Juneteenth and Little Miss Juneteenth 2021 AND back a second year, Mister Juneteenth and Mister Juneteenth Jr. 2021. Children, 7-18 years old, have the chance to win up to $1,500 in scholarships and prizes. To be eligible children must live in Milwaukee County or attend school in Milwaukee County, have a 2.5 GPA, provide a 3-minute video submission of a performing talent, and submit a written essay. Enter online now through May 23, 2021. For complete rules and details log onto www.Jammin983.com!
- New this year: children’s play area, located in the parking lot of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, with a Youth Stage, featuring talent between the ages of 6 and 13.
- There will be a limited number of vendor spots available due to social distancing. Vendors will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. All approved vendors will need to attend a mandatory meeting.
- To participate in the Juneteenth Day Parade or to become a vendor, applications will be available starting today - Monday, May 10, 2021, at the NNH located at 2460 N. 6th St.
For more information about Milwaukee's 50th Anniversary of the Juneteenth Day Parade and Celebration, call 414-372-3770.
