Juneteenth and the ongoing freedom struggle of Black people in Grand Rapids

Juneteenth celebrations are happening all throughout Grand Rapids over the next several days, like the one that is happening on Monday, June 19th at Dickinson Park.

Interestingly enough, when I visited the City of Grand Rapids site, I came across information about how most City services will be closed on Monday, in observation of Juneteenth. Certainly one might think, well how nice that the City of Grand Rapids is not only acknowledging Juneteenth, but giving many of their employees the day off. I’m not as excited by the City’s announcement, in fact, I am pissed off by it.

Juneteenth is celebrated because on June 19th 1865, some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to make sure that Black people who were still enslaved in Texas would be able to gain their freedom. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as “Juneteenth,” by the newly freed people in Texas.

So, if Juneteenth is rooted in Black people gaining their freedom, then shouldn’t we evaluate the City of Grand Rapids’s current treatment of Black people in this community? Actions do speak louder than words.

Grand Rapids and the Black Community

There are no shortage of metrics to figure out how Black people are doing in Grand Rapids and how committed the City of Grand Rapids is to supporting the only emancipation of Black people.

According to a Kent County Health Department report, 32.9% of Black people live in poverty in Grand Rapids.

The City of Grand Rapids has not adequately invested in the 3rd Ward, where a disproportionate number of Blacks live. However, the City doesn’t hesitate to spend millions when it comes to projects like the downtown Amphitheater.

Most Black people living in Grand Rapids do not make a living wage, which means a disproportionate number of Black people do not own homes and are forced to rent. However, even with rental costs at an all time high, according to the National Low Income Hosing Coalition, rental costs in Grand Rapids would require people to make on average $25.50 an hour to afford rent.

The level of policing by the GRPD in Black neighborhoods is disproportionately higher than white majority neighborhoods. Black people continue to be targeted, harassed and intimidated by the GRPD, which results in their being a higher incarceration rate for Black people from Grand Rapids.

Black-led groups like Defund the GRPD have been demanding a reduction of the GRPD’s budget since 2020, a reduction to at least the 1995 Charter minimum of 33% of the budget. This would free up millions that could be invested in the Black community to meet the needs that they would determine.

The GRPD murder of Patrick Lyoya, despite BIPOC organizers pleas to defund, plus these same organizer predicted this would happen. On top of that, since Patrick’s murder, the BIPOC organizers who have been speaking out against his death at the hands of the GRPD, which has resulted in the GRPD targeting them with harassment and arrest. Even a Coalition of Grand Rapids Pastor’s called out the city for their treatment of people protesting Lyoya’s murder.

These are only a few examples of how Black people are treated in Grand Rapids. However, the evidence is pretty damning and if Grand Rapids wants to really celebrate and honor Juneteenth, then they ought to work on advocating for the ongoing freedom that Black people deserve.