'This Time Is Different': Denver Juneteenth March Aims For Change

DENVER (CBS4) — Juneteenth is celebrated as the anniversary of the emancipation of the last enslaved African-Americans in the United States, but this year, many are calling Juneteenth a revolution. The goal of Juneteenth marches around the country in 2020 is to make the day a national holiday.

Companies like Nike, Twitter and the NFL have made Juneteenth a paid holiday. New York and Virgina made June 19th an official state holiday.

"I'm sorry that it took this length of time for the acknowledgment of Juneteeth to go worldwide. We have been celebrating this for years," said Leonori Fischer, a Black Denverite of 50 years, "But I'm elated that it's happening."

For African-Americans like Fischer, Juneteenth isn't new. However, many Americans are recognizing Juneteenth for the first time this year.

A silent march from Denver's City Park to the Capitol steps Friday morning was full of people hoping to listen and learn about the importance of June 19th.

"We get to celebrate freedom and culture, and at the same time deliver some much needed history lessons. We can help people understand why the climate in America is the way it is right now and why our community feels so jilted," said Oren Lomena, host of the 2020 Virtual Juneteenth Music Festival.

Juneteenth is a time to recognize Black history and Black excellence. Vern Howard, chairman of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Colorado Holiday Commission, says it's time to turn this energy into productivity and keep the momentum going.

"We are here to educate. We're also here to make sure the issues were facing today are issues other people won't face, if we make a change from the inside out," said Howard.

Howard was in front of the silent march to Capitol, leading the rally for significant change and the end to racial injustice. So by this day next year, Juneteenth will be respected, not requested.

"This time is different," said Fischer. "I've never seen anything like this in Denver before."

There's a petition on change.org that already has 600,000 signatures to make Juneteenth a national holiday.