On June 5, 2026, Columbus City Council hosted its inaugural Juneteenth illumination ceremony at City Hall, celebrating the resilience and contributions of Black Americans. The evening event featured prayers, gospel music, speeches by elected officials, and a resolution honoring the Juneteenth on the Av committee.
To the north to the south to the east and to the west above and below within and without we are happy and thankful for this moment in time we are the fulfillment of our ancestors' dream we are persevered through the dark night of the Maafa the dark night of enslavement the dark night of our illustrious ancestors who were criminally removed from their homes and families to be brought to this new land called America we are sustained by the power and the glory and the righteousness and the goodness that our illustrious ancestors taught us sooner or later all the people of the earth will have to learn to live together in peace and thereby transform this pending cosmic energy into a creative psalm of brotherhood if this is to be achieved man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge retaliation and aggression the foundation for such a method is love Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Everybody repeat after me unity in our community peace love unity throughout humanity peace love in our neighborhood peace love sisterhood in our neighborhood peace love unity inside of you and me inside of you and me now. Look at the neighbor next to you and say inside of you and me inside of you and me inside of you and me with me love unity in our community love unity throughout humanity love unity inside of you and me don't don't just sit there looking at me like uh you looking at TV If you feel it, do something with it, huh? This is a celebration of emancipation let the celebration begin I was born by the river in a little tent and just like that river I've been running since it's been a long time coming, but I know change gon come for your cities, it's been too holy, and I'm afraid to die worship death beyond the sky, it's been a long time, but I know change gon' come yes, it will to the movies in I go downtown people keep telling me why you're still hanging around it's been a long time coming, but I know change gon' come shed a whole yes then I go to my brother and I see brothers can you help me please It's been long time coming, but I know change gon' yes, then I go to my brother. And I say brother can you help me pray that means knocking me. There's been time when I thought I wasn't gonna last that long. But now that I know I am able to carry on, it's been a it's been a long time coming, but I know it's gone yes, yes, yes, it will even everybody. I'm a black preacher. If you don't talk back to me, I get nervous. Good evening, everybody. And do me a favor, if you're happy to be here, why don't you take your hands and put them together and just celebrate this beautiful moment? We gather here in this Juneteenth celebration, and before I offer prayer, might we be reminded that there's no coincidence that we celebrate this moment and some of the same things that happened in eighteen sixty-five. That this country will never be a place where everyone is free until everyone is free. I'm going to pray in the tradition that I brought with me. Please pray in the tradition that you brought with you. Let's pray together. God our Creator, God our Conqueror, God our Comforter, God of love and liberation. We come to you on this evening grateful for the gift of life. We are reminded of the strength of our ancestors who believed in liberation when it had not made it to them yet. It is that strength that we attempt to embody in this moment. We invite your holy spirit to inhabit this space. Bless it and make it sacred. We know where your spirit is, there's joy. And where your spirit is, there is freedom. Have your way, and as we celebrate our culture, we would do good to also celebrate you. I pray it now. In the matchless and mighty and liberating name of Jesus who is my Christ, and the people of God who love God would say Amen. Good evening. Greetings from the Ohio State University. We are the African American Voices Gospel choir. Oh wait, oh wait. At this time, would you stand for the singing of the Black National Anthem? Lift every voice and sing every single day with the rejoice. Oh, let the collapse continue. Let the applause continue. Happy Juneteenth, Columbus. Happy Juneteenth. It is an honor on behalf of my colleagues to welcome you to the People's House to celebrate our inaugural, our very first Juneteenth here at City Hall. We we joke about this often, but um help me recognize the council member who is responsible for this. Uh Councilmember Tierra Ross. I said she's using her new member energy to put on this event. Um, on behalf of my colleagues, like I said, we it's an honor to welcome you to uh City Hall. I say that the way that I keep my job as council president is shouting out my colleagues by name. So would you indulge me in uh helping me uh uh honor and celebrate Councilmember Emmanuel Reamy, Councilmember Chris White, Councilmember Nancy Day Alcauer, Councilmember Lord Esparosa de Padilla, Councilmember Nick Bankston, Councilmember Tierra Ross. Now we are joined here by um uh so many elected officials. Would you help me recognize our mayor Andrew Ginther? Now let's just slow down right now as we acknowledge our Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Congresswoman made fighting democracy look good and fun. We're joined here by our state representative uh Dontavia Juros my state representative Latina Humphrey, our Franklin County prosecutor, Sheila Favor.