Peoria Standard

The Peoria Park District, in partnership with the City of Peoria and several local organizations, held a joint press conference on June 5, 2025, at Peoria Freedom & Remembrance Memorial Park. The event aimed to highlight a series of Juneteenth celebrations taking place from June 7 to June 21 in Peoria.

The celebrations include various events such as pageants, parades, festivals, and family-friendly gatherings. These events are organized by local partners and hosted at well-known venues across the city. They aim to educate and unite the community through storytelling, music, art, and reflection on Black history and culture.

Key figures such as Mayor Rita Ali and President Robert L. Johnson Sr., along with representatives from each partner organization, attended the press conference to discuss the significance of Juneteenth in Peoria.

The lineup includes:

- Peoria’s Miss Juneteenth Pageant on June 7 at Carver Center.

- Ernestine Jackson Juneteenth Freedom Parade on June 14 at NAACP Peoria Branch Building.

- Juneteenth Fest: Black Wall Street on June 14 at John H. Gwynn Jr. Park.

- The 26th Annual Juneteenth Father’s Day Choral Celebration on June 15 at Illinois Central College Performing Arts Center.

- Jubilee Day: A Juneteenth Celebration on June 19 at Glen Oak Park.

- Freedom Fest 2025 on June 21 at Trewyn Park.

Peoria Freedom & Remembrance Memorial Park was chosen for the press conference due to its historical significance. It is located next to the former Moffatt Cemetery in South Peoria and was established through community advocacy and city support. The park honors individuals like Nance Legins-Costley, Union soldiers connected to original Juneteenth celebrations in Texas, and thousands of unmarked graves now recognized with storyboards and historical markers.

On June 14, 2023, after eight years of effort, the City of Peoria officially recognized the memorial park to ensure those buried there are "forgotten no more."