Clevelanders celebrate Juneteenth at the African American Cultural gardens with caravan

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Beverly Lloyd, the Juneteenth Chairperson for the Association of the African American Cultural gardens, shared her feelings of achievement after Juneteenth was inducted as an official holiday.

“We want our community to get peace, brotherhood, a sense of being able to have the dialogue about freedom,” she said during a caravan to celebrate the newest U.S. federal holiday.

Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States.

The festivities started at the African American Cultural gardens with some car decorations.

The caravan had around 53 cars that left from Wheelock Avenue.

Carl Ewing, the president of the Association of the African American Cultural Gardens, was rejoicing about Juneteenth now being an official part of history.

“I’m just over elated,” he said. “It’s a dream come true.”

Ewing told 19 News he wants the holiday to remind people of the hard work and legacy of his ancestors.

“We want our rightful place as Americans that we helped build the United States, and we want to make sure that we have a rightful part,” he added.

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