Lansdowne was the first municipality in Delaware County to celebrate Juneteenth, county council chair says
By Kathleen E. Carey | [email protected] | delcotimes.com | PUBLISHED: June 21, 2025 at 5:18 PM EDT
The Lansdowne community came together Saturday to celebrate Juneteenth with a flag raising, holiday-related crafts, vendors and even cake and tea.
“Today we come together to honor and celebrate Juneteenth, a day of significance in our nation’s history,” Robert Curry, president of Lansdowne Borough Council, said at the flag raising. “Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for freedom, equality and justice.”
He explained that the holiday is not just about the ending of oppression but is also about the beginning of a journey towards healing and reconciliation.
“As we celebrate, let’s come together as a community to uplift one another, support local initiatives that promote diversity and commit to create a more inclusive Lansdowne for everyone,” Curry said.
State Rep. Gina Curry, D-164, of Upper Darby, who was at the event, described Juneteenth as “a day of remembrance, resilience, renewed commitment to our freedom.”
On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas were finally informed of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, after Union soldiers made their way to the town to make the announcement.
“That day marked a turning point in our nation’s story,” Curry said. “A delayed justice but a declaration of liberation that echoes today. Juneteenth is more than an historical date. It is a living call to continue the work of liberation, to reflect on how far we’ve come and how much further we must go.”
She also expanded on what Juneteenth represented.
“As we celebrate today, let us also reflect on the power of place,” the lawmaker said. “We have the right and the responsibility to choose and create spaces that cultivate, support and uplift us, places where we can thrive emotionally, economically, spiritually and culturally. We deserve to live in communities that nurture our wholeness, foster our healing and open pathways to prosperity.
“Not just for Black communities but for all of our communities,” Curry continued, “because that is the way we will rise together.”
She said the challenges such as education, housing, health care and opportunity can give way to building intentionally spaces that reflect equity, justice and dignity of every person.
“True freedom is not just about what was declared in 1865,” Curry said. “It’s about what we create and protect every single day. So, let us leave here today not only remembering but rebuilding, not only reflecting but reclaiming, and always rising together towards a future of justice, joy and shared liberation.”
Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor was also at the event.
“I remember a time when Lansdowne was our only municipality who had a Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony,” she said. “And you all were the trailblazers in our county and … now I have 15 Juneteenth events to go to across the county. You all were the start.”
She also spoke of what is ahead.
“We still have a lot of work to do,” Taylor said. “This is a wonderful day to celebrate together and talk about community and talk about the work that has been done and the progress that has been made and then to reflect and think about what we need to do and how we can move further.”
Lansdowne council member Will Griffin spoke of how to carry the message of Juneteenth forward.
“Let’s be clear, freedom isn’t fully recognized until we have safe schools, until every working family can raise their family and until we have the power at the ballot box,” he said. “Juneteenth teaches us that progress isn’t automatic. It’s fought for, step by step, brick by brick and it’s our job to keep building.”
The inaugural Junior Miss Juneteenth USA 2023 Maliha Simmons of Yeadon also made a presence at the celebration.
“All things Juneteenth!” she exclaimed to the delight of the attendants.
Clare Finin, executive director of the Lansdowne Economic Development Corp., added: “Fifty percent of our population here in Lansdowne is Black and certainly higher amounts in many of the surrounding boroughs and so this is a huge part of who are community is and we want to celebrate that. Just like we celebrate Pride, we want to acknowledge who our community is and make sure that they feel accepted and seen.”
She said the farmers market Saturday highlighted Black small businesses and creatives, as she noted the plethora of artists in Lansdowne.
Even East Lansdowne had a tent set up at the festival as borough officials encouraged community members to color in a Juneteenth design or make bracelets or necklaces from beads and they could learn more about the holiday from the placards on display.
“The important thing is just letting the community know that we’re out there for them, that we’re out there supporting them,” Liakesha Payne, East Lansdowne borough councilwoman, said.
After the ceremony, attendants were invited to sample pieces of red velvet cake from Kia’s Cakes, a Black woman-owned business in Lansdowne, and hibiscus tea from Djoliba.
Other Juneteenth celebrations were scheduled on Thursday, the actual holiday. It’s unclear how many of them occurred due to the late afternoon thunderstorms.