Juneteenth, now a federal holiday, commemorates the end of legalized slavery in the US. It helps ensure that this extremely cruel and dark part of our history will not be denied or forgotten, and it illustrates that we can never be passive as long as justice is under threat. LWVE members actively participated in Evanston’s Juneteenth 2026 events.
Opal’s Walk for Freedom
This Juneteenth, LWVE members and friends joined “Opal’s Walk for Freedom” for a gorgeous 2.5 mile walk along the Evanston lakefront. Evanston Township High School’s marching band gave cadence, and the athleticism and grace of the Pomkits mesmerized.
As one of seven “host” cities around the country, Evanston’s walkers followed in the activism footsteps of Ms. Opal Lee of Texas, whose symbolic walks and activities over several decades taught Americans the significance of this day. In remembrance of the delayed freeing of their ancestors, Ms. Opal’s family and community celebrated this historical day every year. During festivities in 1939, 500 white people surrounded her family’s home and burned it down. This traumatic event inspired her lifelong commitment to justice and advocacy.
For more background on Juneteenth, see the
Juneteenth webpage of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
A Table for Future Leaders, a.k.a. Kids
Evanston’s Juneteenth festivities also featured a “Youthful Celebration,” from noon to 4 p.m. at Dawes Park, right after the walk. The LWVE participated in this joyful community event with a crafts table for kids. Around 40 children joined us throughout the day, sitting under our tent with our teen helpers, and decorating wood people figurines with the markers, paper clothes, stickers, and googly eyes we provided. Then, they were guided to think about what makes someone a leader and to label their creations with a leadership quality or principle they liked, such as “Caring,” “I have good ideas,” and “Every family should have a home.”
Our Mural: We Honor and Celebrate Our Black Women Leaders
We also displayed a mural at the event. On an eight-by-four wood panel, painted with the bright blues and greens of the lake’s horizon, we exhibited the photographs of 27 Black women who are currently leaders in Evanston. Gold lettering across the top stated: “We Honor and Celebrate Our Black Women Leaders.” Beside each photo was the leader’s name and a short description of her contributions. City leaders, educators, social activists, business owners, environmental justice advocates, youth advocates, faith leaders, and historians were featured, and many other causes and services were represented. Below the photos, just above the waves and sand, were these words: “Thank you for your dedication and service to our community, and your enthusiasm for the future.”
The idea for this project sprang from our national discussion about what it takes to have a democracy, and with that, our renewed never-take-for-granted gratitude for civil servants and the striking reality check that democracy is everyone’s responsibility. LWVE members who attended Evanston’s NAACP dinner late last year heard keynote speaker Dr. Michael Eric Dyson say that we must support the Black women who are leading us in the fight to retain and build democracy. Then came a rich opportunity: Juneteenth in Evanston, highlighting "civic pride, historical awareness, and cross-cultural celebration."
Our goal in this project was to express our deep respect and gratitude for the amazing Black women serving and leading the Evanston community. After considering several ideas about how to go about this, we decided to send letters by email to all the women suggested by our Board, our Juneteenth committee, and other interested LWVE members. The responses from the women we reached out to were overwhelmingly positive and appreciative. Many said they were especially happy to be recognized along with the other outstanding public servants. We scheduled a meet-and-greet at the mural on Juneteenth so they could be together. That gathering was wonderful for all of us. One honoree said, “This is amazing! I went to high school with a lot of these women.” We gave them their flowers, literally– sunflowers, roses, purple dahlias, and white daisies.
Now there is discussion of where the mural should go next. Stay tuned.
Note from the Co-Presidents: Special thanks to our Juneteenth committee: Tucker Wildes (who created the mural), Kristine Lofquist, Carol McCardell, and Katie O’Neil.