Naperville’s fourth annual Juneteenth celebration, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, will be held Saturday at Rotary Hill Park.
The free noon-to-3 p.m. event will feature food, music, guest speakers, exhibitors and more, said Naperville City Councilman Benny White, founder of the Naperville Neighbors United, which organizes the gathering.
“Each year seems to get a little bit better,” White said.
Juneteenth celebrates June 19, 1865, the day on which Union soldiers brought word to Galveston, Texas, that the war had ended and enslaved people had been freed. It was the last part of the country to be notified of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
Saturday’s events will kick off with the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” sung by 15-year-old Naperville student Isabella “Isa” Rose.
Speakers include White, U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville; state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, D-Naperville; state Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville; Judy Brodhead, chairwoman of Naperville’s Special Events and Community Arts Commission; and Geneace Williams, manager of Naperville’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion department.
“(Williams) will be sharing a brief history of Juneteenth,” said event Chair Kim White, who’s married to Benny White.
In addition to food available for sale, there also will be more than 30 exhibitors on hand, Kim White said.
Among them will be Naper Settlement, Naperville Park District, Naperville’s League of Women Voters, the Naperville police and fire departments, Grow Wellness Group Foundation, Fry Family YMCA, 360 Youth Services, Naperville Public Library and Indian Prairie School District 204.
The group Soul 2 the Bone will perform.
“We would love for people to bring a lawn chair and be ready to celebrate Juneteenth and listen to some great music and maybe get up and do a little dancing,” Kim White said.
While a time to celebrate, the event is also an important one for the growing community of Naperville, Benny White said.
“Everyone recognizes that Naperville is one of the top cities to live in,” he said. “It’s become more and more diverse and we really want to celebrate that diversity. It’s in our mission statement to be an inclusive community that celebrates diversity and this is one of those ways that we can do it.”
It’s also an opportunity for community members to meet and learn about each other, he said.
“I think we all recognize and know what Juneteenth is all about … but it’s not just for African Americans,” White said. “This is something that is inclusive for everyone. I’ve always been one to say it’s not just Black history, it’s American history, and I think it’s something we should all celebrate.”
And that’s more important now than ever, he added.
“When you see what is going on around the country, diversity, equity and inclusion has really been under attack,” he said. “For me, in order to really practice diversity, equity and inclusion, we all have to learn about each other and this is another way we can do that. It helps break stereotypes that people have from hearsay or what they see on the news or how it’s displayed on television.”
Talking to people different from yourself helps promote understanding and foster trust in the community, he said. Multicultural events like Juneteenth, Halal Fest, the India Day parade, the Naperville Hispanic Festival, the Asian Heritage Festival and others will move the community forward and raise awareness of these cultures, he said.
“We are a very diverse community that is becoming more diverse over the years,” White said. “There will be a point when we are projected to be a majority-minority community. And that’s nothing to be afraid of, let’s embrace it.”
Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom and a powerful reminder of a people who endured unimaginable hardship and the continued work required to ensure equity and inclusion for all, Kim White said.
“I think by honoring Juneteenth, we are affirming that Black history is American history and the pursuit of freedom and justice must be a shared commitment,” she said.
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
Information: napervilleneighborsunited.org; NNUjuneteenth2025.eventbrite.com
