Juneteenth 2025: What does liberty mean for Black Louisianans? – The Current – Lafayette's Community Voice

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This year marks the 160th year of freedom for African Americans, and Louisiana might be uniquely positioned to reconcile its traumatic past of enslavement with its diverse communities of today.
“We have an opportunity in this state, more than any other state, to get it right,” says Abram Freeman, a local business leader and pastor, and president of the Juneteenth Association of Louisiana. “We have so many individuals who have crossed the family line as far as culture is concerned. We have a common interest in seeing that all citizens are treated the same.”
On June 19, 1865, enslaved people in Texas first heard the news that they were free, making it a date that today is celebrated in honor of the freedoms gained by Black Americans, along with an opportunity to reflect on where the promises of liberty have fallen short.
The theme of this year’s nationwide celebration is “Riding the Wave of Freedom to Liberty.”
At a time when many feel that diversity is being shunned and attacked, and the history and contributions of African Americans are being challenged and even removed from official narratives, Freeman says Juneteenth’s biggest takeaway this year is involvement.
“We hope people understand the value of participating in community activities,” he says. Now more than ever, according to Freeman, the plight of African Americans is at risk.
“In the past, African Americans relied on the Constitution and the highest court in the land to protect that Constitution,” he says. “But we have lost confidence in the Supreme Court in protecting the rights of all citizens of the United States.”
Freeman cites “inaction of the majority” as one of the silent culprits, making participation a way to counteract the institutional threats he says Black Americans, and racial minorities at large, face in the current moment.
But those already in the movement have a lesson to learn in this too, he notes.
“There should have been a conscientious effort to assure the majority that we’re no threat to their freedom and their liberty,” Freeman says.
Instead of an “either, or” situation, Freeman says it needs to be clearly communicated that freedom for minorities means freedom for everyone, and there should be a concerted effort to achieve that.
Educating future generations to understand “the obligation to vote, and to train our youth to participate in politics, to run for office, and to get into the legal field and the medical field, “ is an integral part of that effort, he says. “Not [to] settle for just a job, but make a career that is going to elevate your community.”
While Freeman sees a unique opportunity for Louisiana to lead the way in achieving racial harmony and equal rights because of its mixed communities, there’s at least one factor that threatens the potential progress to be made by future generations: They’re leaving Louisiana for better opportunities.
Freeman speaks from personal experience; his son is expected to become part of the exodus. “When he finishes college, he’s leaving Louisiana,” Freeman notes, “and that’s a sad commentary that he doesn’t feel at home, at home.”
But for now, this year’s celebrations are already underway, including a proclamation and a community unity walk. On June 10, National Miss Juneteenth Queen Alexandra Gramby, a native of Maurice, was presented with a proclamation from state Rep. Tehmi Chaisson, D-Lafayette, at the state Capitol.
Upcoming events to the Juneteenth countdown include a presentation on adjudicated properties, 40 Acres & a Mule, set for 6 p.m. on June 17 at the Downtown Convention Center in Lafayette. Blighted properties, often as a result of unclear title and incomplete succession planning, have long been an issue particularly affecting predominantly Black communities in Louisiana and beyond.
Local racial and social justice advocacy group Move the Mindset is hosting a commemoration from 6-8 p.m. on June 18 at the DCC, beginning with a film and panel discussion, titled “Freedom’s Unfinished Journey: From Juneteenth to Today’s Struggle for Inclusive History.” The program also includes a performance by Pucci Percussion, student poetry and community vendors.
MTM President Ola S. Prejean stresses the importance of the Juneteenth observance, not only because of its historical significance, but also as a way to share in common experiences. “Obviously, none of us were around in 1865,” she says. “But we have all had experiences with the struggle for freedom and equality.” The celebration serves as a reminder of that, she adds.
Even though news of their freedom was delayed — President Abraham Lincoln had signed the emancipation proclamation two years before news of it arrived in Galveston on that June day in 1865 — Prejean says that African Americans “embraced it and found a way to build a new life for themselves, the best they could given the circumstances.”
At 9:30 a.m. on June 19, the opening ceremonies and flag-raising will be held at Lafayette City Hall. At 5:30 p.m. that same day, the Juneteenth Lyrical Expressions Spoken Word/Open Mic will be held at Heymann Park Recreation Center in Lafayette.
The SWLA Juneteenth Banquet and National Juneteenth Scholarship Pageant follows at 6:30 p.m. on June 20 at the Downtown Convention Center. The guest speaker is local longtime physician Ernest W. Kinchen Jr., who has been a pioneer and broken racial barriers in the medical field.
On June 21, the SWLA Juneteenth Festival & Stone Soul Picnic will be held at Heymann Park. Gates open at 12:30 p.m. Entertainment includes Russell Cormier & Homegrown Reggae, Mike Dopsie & Zydeco Entourage, and Rusty Metoyer.
There will also be celebrations held in other parts of the eight-parish region:
NEW IBERIA
A Juneteenth performance of Zebulon’s Dream, written and performed by acclaimed poet Suzanne Wiltz, is slated for 6 p.m. at the Shadows Visitor Center. The event, cosponsored by Shadows-on-the-Teche and the Iberia African American Historical Society, also includes a liberation ceremony performed by Pastor Zachary P. Mitchell Sr. of the Word of Hope World Outreach Church and chairman of the Shadows Advisory Council.
OPELOUSAS
The Juneteenth Folklife Celebration is slated for 12-4 p.m. on June 14 at the Farmer’s Market in Opelousas. Festivities continue on June 20 at the Evangeline Downs Event Center with the Creole Heritage Folklife Center’s Juneteenth Celebration La La Gala, featuring Zydeco musician Geno Delafose. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. with a social, followed by a silent auction at 7 p.m.
Ruth Foote is an award-winning journalist and served as the co-founder/editor of Creole Magazine. She has also freelanced for The Acadiana Advocate and The Times of Acadiana. She received her M.A. in Public History from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
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