'A lot of laughter, a lot of joy': Milwaukee's 54th annual Juneteenth Jubilee Parade sees thousands of attendees

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — Thursday marked Juneteenth, a time to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.

It's the oldest celebration of its kind, but the nation's youngest federal holiday.

A law President Joe Biden signed in 2021 gives it the official name: Juneteenth National Independence Day.

Celebrations took place across the country, including in in Milwaukee, with great music, great food, and great community in Rose Park.

Milwaukee's 54th annual Juneteenth parade began at 9 a.m. down Martin Luther King, Jr. drive.

"It's a lot of laughter, it's a lot of joy, and I just love it," said attendee Cymphoni Watkins.

Milwaukee's parade is of the oldest Juneteenth observances in the country, recognizing freedom from slavery while honoring Black culture.

"It feels good to just be with your own people, and be out here and just celebrating," Watkins said. "All of these people didn't have to come out here, but they did, they took time out of their day to come out here, which is very special."

Since the city's first Juneteenth celebration in 1972, it has become a treasured tradition.

"I love the parade. I come every year. I grew up over here, and I've been coming since maybe I was 10," said attendee Kathy Lindsea. "We all can get together and walk, and eat, and see all the people that we used to grow up with."

Dancers, musicians and community members joined hundreds of vendors to turn the Harambee neighborhood into a party, with a lesson in history.

"I feel like a lot of kids don't know what Juneteenth is. We know a lot about the Fourth of July, but we don't know a lot about the freedom of African American people," said Terise Linyard, who brought children from her family's daycare out to see the parade. "To have them to come out and see everyone celebrating, everyone dressed in Kente cloth, getting food that we like to eat, things like that, that we can come together and celebrate with no drama and have a good time."

Organizers expect more than 70,000 people to attend Juneteenth festivities in Milwaukee this year.

Photos from the Juneteenth Jubilee Parade: