Melrose To Raise Juneteenth Flag In Ceremony

MELROSE, MA — For the first time in city history, the Juneteenth flag will be raised in an official ceremony.

The flag will go up Wednesday, June 23, at 7 p.m. at the Melrose Public Library. The celebration is in concert with the North Shore Juneteenth Association.

"This is the first time in history that the City of Melrose will honor this holiday in an official capacity," said Mayor Paul Brodeur in a news release. "I’m very thankful for this collaboration with NSJA, and I hope that this event will bring understanding and appreciation of the significance of this holiday for all Melrosians. Honoring Juneteenth is a small but important step toward making our great City more inclusive."

Juneteenth observes the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Texas were told of their freedom, essentially ending slavery in America. It was more than two years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and a few months before the 13th amendment, which abolished slavery, was ratified.

Melrose's celebration will include a performance of the Lift Every Voice and Sing, known as the Black national anthem and remarks from NSJA speakers, Brodeur, Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian, Sen. Jason Lewis and others from Melrose.

"I am proud to see the Juneteenth holiday being acknowledged in Melrose," said NSJA President and founder, Nicole McClain. "Raising awareness about this holiday is one of the missions of the North Shore Juneteenth Association and we are happy to see that Melrose has become an ally in that mission."

Mike Carraggi can be reached at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi and Instagram at Melrose Happening. Subscribe to Melrose Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.