West Side Organizers Show Promise of Juneteenth Becoming an Official Chicago Holiday
Right to left. Linda Jennings, Lead Political Organizer for Black Remembrance Project; Ashley Jefferson supporter of Black Remembrance; LaCreshia Birts, Initiator of Black Remembrance Project at Pritzker Park, 310 S. State St., June 19, 2019. Courtesy of Birts.
"Juneteenth is a day to remind us of how far we've come in 400 years, and our continued fight for liberation for the next 400," says LaCreshia Birts, 30, petitioning for Juneteenth to become an official city holiday. Birts is the Initiator of The Black Remembrance Project, an advocacy group in Chicago advocating for the proper recognition of Juneteenth and to establish an annual Juneteenth celebration in Chicago’s downtown.
Juneteenth 2019 marks the 400th year anniversary of Africans brought to America and forced into chattel slavery.
On February 3, The Black Remembrance Project, published an online petition to commemorate Juneteenth as an official city holiday, already amassed 480 and counting of the requested 500 signatures to support an ordinance for Juneteenth to become a city holiday.
Birts, along with many other organizers, is advocating for Juneteenth to become a paid city holiday.
In 2019, Rickie Brown Sr., Founder of West Side Preservation Society, hosted an annual West-Side Juneteenth event and sent Governor J.B. Pritker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot a petition, asking a bill recognize June 19th with the “full financial and legislation support given to the Spanish, Italian, and Pride communities with a parade downtown, festivities, and awareness in the city and state as a whole.”
Birts says the Black Remembrance Project wants to collaboratively organize with activists across the city for an annual event downtown to bring together the Black community, including artists, performers, and social justice leaders. Birts welcomes all to join a city-wide Juneteenth planning committee taking place in March.
“I want to experience Black joy. I have walked, stomped, cried, and marched because of police killings. I want to experience Black joy and do it in a way that still pushes us forward, that still fights for our justice and liberation, and I see Juneteenth as a way to do that.”
Black Remembrance Project held a celebratory protest downtown last year. “Last Juneteenth, my comrades and I held a celebratory protest downtown after we put out a request for the Alderman to make Juneteenth an official holiday in the city. We wanted to uplift our history by commemorating Juneteenth,” says Brits.
LaCreshia Birts of the West Side, the coordinator of the Black Remembrance Project and their Juneteenth event, pours libations in honor of Black ancestors at Pritzker Park, 310 S. State St., June 19, 2019. Caption and Photo Courtesy of Mike Rundle
Birts’ momentum was met with legislative action on last year, November 20, 2019, as Ald. Maria Hadden (49th Ward) and Ald. David Moore (17th Ward) introduced an ordinance to City Council requiring “Juneteenth” to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. Forty out of 50 Chicago Alderman co-signed in support of the ordinance, as well as Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s City Council floor leader.
However, considering Chicago’s 800 million budget deficit, the cost of a paid city holiday could present challenges for the Mayor’s Office.
Hadden explains, “exploring Juneteenth as a ‘floating holiday’ allows the holiday to still be recognized by organizations, while managing financial costs that won't lead to budget and financial implications that Chicago cannot afford."
In other words, Juneteenth as a floating holiday, allows it to be an official holiday, though it will not be a paid day off.
"In 2023, we will renegotiate labor agreements for all city employees that are bargained for," says Hadden. Possibly allowing Juneteenth to become a paid holiday then. The current cost of each paid holiday off is "under 10 million right now, but I will have to look at my notes," said Hadden.
Birts says, "Even though a paid holiday is expensive, what it represents is more important than the cost. Juneteenth honors our history and contributions to Chicago and the U.S." The ordinance states parallels, “Chicago’s politics, entertainment, sports, and civic life have all been impacted by the strength and heart of enslaved people. Chicago’s DNA would be incomplete without the contributions of African Americans.”
The Black Remembrance Project and Hadden are scheduled to have a press conference on February 19, 9 a.m. at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle Street Chicago, Illinois 60602, 3rd Floor, room no. TBD. An official press release is scheduled to be released later this week, according to Hadden’s office.
“The ordinance and request for Juneteenth has been out since November, and we want City Council to sign on. To me, there’s no reason this shouldn’t get unanimous support. 40 Alderman signed on, and now we need them to move and make it an official holiday,” Birts, explains the intention for the upcoming press conference.
What better way to honor Black History Month 2020 than commemorating Juneteenth as an official city holiday?
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Office did not respond to requests for comment by the deadline.