At its June 7, 2022 meeting, the East Lansing City Council approved a resolution acknowledging the history of Juneteenth and declaring Juneteenth a holiday in the City of East Lansing. The resolution can be viewed here.
Juneteenth (abbreviation for June 19) is a federal, state and local holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. Community members can read more about the historical legacy of Juneteenth here.
Juneteenth Celebration at the East Lansing Farmers Market
A Juneteenth Celebration will be taking place at the East Lansing Farmers Market on Sunday, June 19 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in Valley Court Park, 280 Valley Court.
This special, free event will feature a variety of games and activities as well as live music sponsored by the Summer Solstice Jazz Festival. The musicians scheduled to perform include Sam Corey from 10 a.m.-noon and Trunino Lowe from noon-2 p.m.
The East Lansing Public Library’s Library on the Go will also be at the event with activities for children, including a unity bracelet craft and opportunities to create magnets with a Juneteenth theme. There will also be rock painting and a historical story walk as well as games in the park.
Additionally, in partnership with the East Lansing Department of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, there will be a giveaway of copies of the graphic novel “March: Book One” by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell.
All community members are invited to attend this special event in celebration of Juneteenth.
City Offices Closed on Monday, June 20 in Observance of Juneteenth
In observance of the upcoming Juneteenth holiday, City of East Lansing offices and facilities, with the exception of the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, will be closed on Monday, June 20. Offices and facilities that will be closed include East Lansing City Hall, the East Lansing 54B District Court, the East Lansing Department of Public Works, the East Lansing Public Library and East Lansing Prime Time. There will be no yard waste or bulk item collection on Monday, June 20. The next yard waste and bulk item collection day will be the following Monday, which is Monday, June 27.
For the upcoming holiday, community members are also reminded that the use of commercial fireworks is permitted on Juneteenth (Sunday, June 19) from 11 a.m.-11:45 p.m. Community members can visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/fireworks for additional information about the City’s fireworks ordinance and important safety tips from the East Lansing Fire Department.
Original source can be found here.
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