The City of West Hollywood invites the community to attend a Flag-Raising Ceremony in recognition of Juneteenth on Friday, June 16, 2023 at 5 p.m. at West Hollywood City Hall, located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard, in the auto court area off of N. Sweetzer Avenue.
The Ceremony will commemorate and honor the historical significance of Juneteenth, which is also called Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, and Black Independence Day and is recognized on June 19 of each year. This marks the date when some of the last enslaved people in the Confederacy were notified of their freedom on June 19, 1865. Juneteenth is recognized annually to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States and represents a special day of reflection.
In June 2021, President Biden signed a bill to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday. In June 2020, the West Hollywood City Council established Juneteenth as an observed holiday in West Hollywood. In January 2022, the City Council approved direction to initiate steps to recognize Juneteenth as an official City holiday. On June 19, 2022, the City held its first Flag-Raising Ceremony and invited residents, members of the community, and elected officials to share their perspectives and stories about the significance of Juneteenth and the importance of recognizing the holiday. Juneteenth is not only a reminder of a painful chapter in American history, but it also serves as an opportunity for people to recommit to combat all forms of modern-day slavery, human trafficking, and racial injustice.
The Pan-African flag was designed to represent people of the African diaspora and consists of three equal horizontal bands of red, black, and green. The three colors of the flag symbolize: red for the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry and has been shed for liberation; black for the people whose existence as a nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed by the existence of the flag; and green for the abundant natural wealth of Africa.
Very proud that West Hollywood is joining in commemorating Juneteenth. The day gets FAR too little attention among an American public that remains far too ignorant of our history as a nation. As MLK reminded us: The arc of history is long; but bends toward justice”…but only if we choose to so-bend it.