Juneteenth Celebrations Canceled in One City

A Juneteenth celebration has been canceled in the city of Hamilton, Ohio.

Hamilton's Juneteenth celebration had been scheduled to take place this Saturday, but organizers revealed last month that it would not go ahead.

"The Hamilton Juneteenth Celebration event scheduled for June 15th in Marcum Park is being suspended for the 2024 year," organizers wrote on Facebook in May.

"The committee would like to take this time to refocus our efforts on events in the 2025 calendar year around Black History Month and Juneteenth 2025. The committee would like to thank those who put time and effort into this year's event, and we look forward to working with you again this coming year."

Candice White, a co-organizer, told the Journal-News that the event was canceled due to "unforeseen complications."

"The event has been greatly received by the city of Hamilton, and from people around the Tri-state area," White said. "However, this year's event planning experienced some unforeseen complications that brought the committee to the challenging decision to suspend the celebration for 2024."

Newsweek has contacted the Hamilton Juneteenth Committee for further comment via email.

Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free.

In 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill passed by Congress that made Juneteenth, or June 19, a federal holiday.

Ohio is among 28 states (and the District of Columbia) that legally recognize Juneteenth as a public holiday. And in 2020 the Hamilton City Council declared that every June 19 will be celebrated as Juneteenth in perpetuity.

But while Hamilton's celebration has been canceled, Cleveland, Akron, Cincinnati and other cities across Ohio are preparing to mark Juneteenth with parades and other events this weekend.

Last week, Ohio State Senator Hearcel Craig, a Democrat, hosted a Juneteenth celebration at the Ohio Statehouse.

"Juneteenth is not just a celebration of freedom," Craig said. "It is also a reminder of the resilience, strength, and unwavering spirit of African Americans who endured and overcame the brutalities of slavery."

Meanwhile, the White House marked Juneteenth early with a concert on the South Lawn on Monday with singers including Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle.

"Black history is American history," Biden told the crowd during the event. "The day reminds us that we have a helluva lot more work to do. Let's keep marching. Let's keep the faith."