The Ethnic Heritage Museum will host a two-day Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 14th and Sunday, June 15th. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the last African American slaves held in Confederate states were finally freed by the Union army. Six months later, the Thirteenth Amendment officially made slavery illegal throughout the “entire” United States.

The man responsible for kicking off the Juneteenth celebrations in Rockford is Tommy Meeks. On Saturday, June 14th at 1:00, Tommy Meeks, the Rockford’s Juneteenth Chairman will be honored for his 35 years of service organizing the Rockford’s Juneteenth celebration. Rockford’s Juneteenth celebration began at Levings Lake Park and eventually was relocated to Sinnissippi Park due to the celebration’s growth. It is now a two-day event that features local talent, businesses, music, fellowship, and community awards.

Honoring Tommy Meeks celebration is free to the public but donations are greatly appreciated. Light refreshment will be available.

The Rockford Reader's Theatre will present the history and celebration of Juneteenth on Sunday, June 15, 2025, 2:30 - 3:15. Coordinated, written and directed by Dorothy Paige-Turner, the ensemble of performers will tell the story of this State and Federal Holiday through

narration, poetry and song. Highlights include "Freedom's Plow" by poet, Langston Hughes, "Twas the Night Before Freedom" by Glenda Armand and songs utilized by those enslaved to lead them on the path to freedom.

Sharing their extraordinary talents for this performance are Coleen Martin Williams, Carl Towns, Janet Wright, Wendell Thompson and Jackie Rogers.

The Rockford Reader's Theatre performance is free to the public but donations are greatly appreciated. This presentation is made possible in part through a generous donation from the Rockford Area Arts Council.

The Heritage Museum Park (located at 1129 South Main Street) is a historical campus containing the Ethnic Heritage Museum and Graham-Ginestra House. The Ethnic Heritage Museum is a cultural center and museum, featuring six ethnic galleries: African American, Hispanic, Irish, Italian, Lithuanian and Polish. The Graham-Ginestra House, built in 1857, was Rockford’s first commissioned historic landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Heritage Museum Park campus is handicap accessible. There is parking available in the parking lot on the corner of South Main and Morgan Streets next to the Graham-Ginestra House and on Loomis Street by the museum. For more information call 815/962-7402 or visit www.ethnicheritagemuseum.org