CINCINNATI — The sound of celebration hit the streets of Cincinnati on Sunday for the 37th annual Juneteenth parade.
The parade took place Sunday morning ahead of Wednesday's holiday.
We watched part of the annual celebration with the Coleman family, who said celebrating the holiday — and history — is crucial .
"A lot of people don't know what this day means," the family said.
Juneteenth was born in 1865, but only recently, in 2021, was it declared a national holiday. Sunday's festivities — as well as a variety of celebrations, festivals and events around the Tri-State over the weekend — allowed so many to take the time to remember ancestors and rejoice in what the future will bring.
"Celebration of our freedom as Black people is the celebration of wellness and unity," said Apryll Fambro-Watkins, a realtor with Keller Willaims. "[It's] important that we know our lineage as African-American, and all races actually, to know our country started, how [it] was founded and the changes that we've made and how far we've come."
Cincinnati's Vice-Mayor Kan-Michele Kearney told WCPO 9 that years ago, no one, unfortunately, thought about Juneteenth.
"Strength and unity — that's our motto," Kearney said. "And this really shows it."
The Colemans enjoyed the parade — despite the heat — but admitted they were a little surprised at the turnout.
"It's important in the future that more people come out and support this parade," the family said.
Despite that, the family said no matter the turnout, they were focused on the goal of the parade.
"Believe, achieve, succeed, remember the past, and celebrate the present," the family said.
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