BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Juneteenth is the national holiday commemorating June 19, 1865 — the historic day when slavery ended in the United States.
At Buffalo's Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor, community members shared what the day means to them.
"Just started thinking about all the ancestors that went before me that I never personally got a chance to meet, but fought for us to have freedom today," said Sheila Brown, owner and president of WUFO Radio on Broadway in Buffalo.
Brown said the holiday carries deep personal and cultural significance.
"It really means pride, it really means family, it really means culture," she said. "It really means striving to do our best for the next generation, for them to really understand, and for us never to forget."
Radio host Anita Williams said June 19 brings a mix of looking back and looking forward.
"As a Black woman, this day absolutely causes our minds to go back and to reflect forward — fast forward – to see where we've come from and also, to absolutely see where we can go,” said Williams.
Buffalo NAACP President Rev. Mark Blue said the holiday is a great opportunity to express freedom.
"It means a lot for the freedom and emancipation of all of our people," said Blue.
Blue said the road was not easy.
"Freedom isn't free. It took time for this to happen, and also, we had to work hard from the time they received the news originally until they were actually free," said Blue. "If we don't teach our history, it'll be forgotten, and some of our young people feel that they have entitlements. We don't have any entitlements; everything that we have earned, through sweat equity, through hard work, blood, sweat and tears, and also people have died as they make sure that people understand that this Juneteenth holiday is something that was earned and not just given to us."
Gerald Williams, a Buffalo native now living in Korea, was home for the holiday. He said the day carries personal meaning.
"It means a reflection of understanding who I am as an individual, also as a Black individual, but as the individual self," said Williams.
Williams said he is impressed with the construction happening in the African American Heritage Corridor to preserve Buffalo's rich history.
"It's a beautiful thing," said Williams.
Among the sites undergoing major transformations are the Nash House, the Colored Musicians Club and the Michigan Street Baptist Church, a stop on the Underground Railroad. So much growth is expected in the corridor, with a major streetscape project expected to start in 2027, and businesses planned for the future.
"We'll have an influx of restaurants and businesses and an influx of walkable communities that will inundate this whole area," said Rev. Blue.
WATCH: Buffalo community shares what Juneteenth means to them
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
