Attendees raise their fists during remarks made at the Million Man March in Chicago on June 19, 2020. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Credit: Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr
Attendees dance at the start of the Million Man March in South Loop on June 19, 2020. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.) Credit: Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.
Participants in the Million Man March carry a Black Lives Matter banner on June 19, 2020, in Chicago. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.) Credit: Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.
The crowd is reflected through a child’s sunglasses during the Million Man March on June 19, 2020, in Chicago. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
A person dressed as Spiderman greets outdoor diners during the Million Man March on June 19, 2020, in Chicago. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Residents look out of their windows at the Million Man March on June 19, 2020, in Chicago. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Preston James, 5, and William James, 8 attend the Million Man March on June 19, 2020 in Chicago. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Attendees hold signs during the Million Man March on June 19, 2020, in Chicago. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Participants listen to a speech made during the Million Man March on June 19, 2020, in Chicago. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Attendees raise their fists during remarks made at the Million Man March in Chicago on June 19, 2020. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Thousands attend the Million Man March on June 19, 2020, in Chicago. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Ashley Smith of Haute Society speaks to attendees during a “ReBuild Black Wall Street” Juneteenth celebration on June 19, 2020 in the Douglas neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Then “ReBuild Black Wall Street” Juneteenth event included a car parade to Washington Park on the South Side of Chicago on June 19, 2020. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
“The Prince of Poetry” performs at the “ReBuild Black Wall Street” Juneteenth event on June 19, 2020 in the Douglas neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Valrie Kemp-Davis and her children raise their fist in support of Black Lives Matter during the “ReBuild Black Wall Street” Juneteenth event on June 19, 2020, in Chicago. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Attendees decorated their vehicles to participate in the “ReBuild Black Wall Street” car parade to Washington Park on the South Side of Chicago on June 19, 2020. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
Nicolette Stanton waves a red, black and green American flag — colors that signify pan-Africanism and black liberation — during the “ReBuild Black Wall Street” Juneteenth car parade in the Douglas neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago on June 19, 2020. (Photo by Vashon Jordan Jr.)
A demonstrator carries a painted sign in honor of Breonna Taylor during a Juneteenth march for justice and equality in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago on June 19, 2020. (Photo by Max Herman)
Demonstrators chant, “Out of your house, into the street!” at South Loop residents watching from their balconies during a Juneteenth march for justice and equality on June 19, 2020. (Photo by Max Herman)
Demonstrators march for justice and equality on Juneteenth in the South Loop on June 19, 2020. (Photo by Max Herman)
A sign quotes famed Chicago civil rights leader Ida B. Wells, who investigated lynchings in the 1890s, as demonstrators rally at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road during a Juneteenth march for justice in equality in the South Loop on June 19, 2020. (Photo by Max Herman)
Demonstrators fill the streets of the South Loop during a march for justice and equality on the night of Juneteenth, June 19, 2020. (Photo by Max Herman)
Demonstrators fill the streets of the South Loop during a march for justice and equality on the night of Juneteenth, June 19, 2020. (Photo by Max Herman)
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This year’s Juneteenth celebrations coincided with ongoing mass protests ignited by the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. The holiday, also known as Emancipation Day, marks the day that enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom in 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. The festivities often include barbecues, parades, and special sales, especially at Black-owned businesses. An increasing number of companies are also giving employees the day off for the holiday.
Juneteenth events took place alloverthecity. Here’s a selection of photos from the Million Man March in the Loop, a car parade in the Douglas neighborhood on the South Side, and an evening demonstration for peace and equality.
Earlier this week, the Chicago City Council approved a resolution honoring the day but stopped short of declaring it an official city holiday because it would cost too much to give city workers the day off, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. The state has not acted on bills proposed last year to make Juneteenth a state holiday,
Vashon Jordan Jr.
Vashon Jordan Jr. is a freelance photojournalist. Born and raised in Chicago, he strives to use his medium of photography to showcase authentic stories and moments of the people he encounters. He is currently...
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