HAMILTON, Ohio — Hamilton won't have a Juneteenth celebration this year, but the community has found a solution to replace the annual event: They are going to host one themselves.
Several nonprofits have banded together for a Juneteenth event Wednesday.
A parade will start at 11:30 a.m. at the Booker T. Washington Community Center. Attendees will march to the sand park near the Fire Department on Chestnut Street and then there will be a block party.
Shereka Mcghee, one of the event organizers and president of the nonprofit Bway Angels, said it was upsetting when the event was canceled. But, she said planning events is what she does and with the help of others, they were able to plan their own celebration.
“I just think it’s important for our culture,” Mcghee said.
Other nonprofit organizations helping plan the event include:
- Father Your Hood
- Make Hamilton Great Again
- Neighborhood Heroes
- Itb Studios
Tyrome Bembry is a board member for Father Your Hood. The nonprofit started in 2023 and is aimed at helping fathers in the community.
“With Father Your Hood, we wanted to create an organization that not only created a space for fathers to develop into the fathers they want to be but also resources," he said.
Bembry said Father Your Hood decided to participate in the event because Juneteenth is an important holiday.
“For our organization, there was no way we weren’t going to celebrate Juneteenth,” he said.
Vince Sanford with Make Hamilton Great Again said the following statement in an email:
“Despite the cancellation, community members have taken the initiative to organize and host the Juneteenth celebration within the Second Ward once again. This effort is a testament to the community's commitment to preserving the cultural and historical significance of Juneteenth and ensuring that it remains a celebration that is accessible and meaningful to those it honors.”
The City of Hamilton approved the special event permit and agreed to close streets near the park for the block party, which lasts until 8 p.m. A spokesperson for city said previous Juneteenth celebrations were not sponsored by the city but instead a group. That group canceled this year's due to "unforeseen circumstances."
Editor's Note: WCPO erroneously stated the City of Hamilton canceled its Juneteenth event. The city was not involved in the event.
Watch Live:
