Covington City Hall will be closed on Wednesday in recognition of the Juneteenth holiday. They will reopen at 8 a.m Thursday. All Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission’s locations will be closed as well.
The NKCAC Fatherhood and Lincoln Grant Scholar House programs will again partner with St. Elizabeth Healthcare to host a Juneteenth Celebration on Wednesday, June 19 from 3 – 7 p.m. at NKCAC’s Lincoln Grant Scholar House (824 Greenup Street, Covington).
An annual commemoration of African-American emancipation, the Juneteenth celebration invites the community for an inspirational gathering.
“NKCAC is excited to partner with St. Elizabeth Healthcare again this year to recognize Juneteenth,” said Catrena Bowman, NKCAC Executive Director. “We’re also proud to offer resources to our Northern Kentucky community members while engaging in some fun and fellowship.”
While the celebration at Lincoln Grant Scholar House targets single parents, the event is free and open to the public. The celebration will feature food, a talent show, and music, and will also include vendor booths for community resources and social service agencies to provide information about their services.
“At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, we are committed to creating opportunities for everyone to achieve their best health, as we aim to support the communities we serve to become the healthiest in the nation,” said Christopher Johnson, St. Elizabeth’s Vice President of Health Equity, Culture and Community. “Our promise to provide culturally competent care, paired with dignity and respect, is reflected in the community partnerships we build with organizations such as NKCAC. The Juneteenth celebration is a great way to reach those in our Northern Kentucky community that may be struggling to find the right care, at the right time.”
Juneteenth is the oldest known commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger announced that slaves in Texas were free by order of the President of the United States. The announcement came two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863. Although celebrated throughout the U.S. since 1865, Juneteenth has been more widely observed since the Civil Rights Movement, providing a platform for the promotion of diversity and an opportunity for education about the sacrifices and challenges endured by enslaved Americans in their struggle for freedom.
