LAKELAND, Fla. — City leaders are listening after community members demanded change.
The City of Lakeland is now recognizing Juneteenth as an official paid holiday.
For Harlem Turner, slavery isn’t a distant memory. He vividly remembers the scars on his grandmother’s back from the whippings she endured while enslaved.
“My mama’s mama, I seen her back all whipped up, cut up. She had come out of slavery,” Turner said.
Generations later, the Lakeland man is fighting so that everyone in his city understands the significance of this part of American history.
“I’m going to give up everything in my life that means something to me and fight hard for Juneteenth and that’s what I’ve been doing,” Turner said.
Turner has been pushing Lakeland City officials to make Juneteenth a city-observed holiday. It became a federal holiday in 2021 and is recognized in cities like Tampa, St. Pete, and Bartow.
“All I'm asking for you to do is to recognize what we been through,” said Turner.
Juneteenth marks the day the last group of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned in 1865 that they were free, more than two and a half years after the emancipation proclamation.
On Monday, Lakeland City Commissioners voted unanimously to recognize Juneteenth as a paid city holiday.
Starting this year, city employees will have the day off and city offices will be closed.
“What this is, is an opportunity for us to recognize that for most of us the Fourth of July became our Independence Day but that’s not true for our African American constituency. That’s what Juneteenth is,” said Bill Mutz, Mayor City of Lakeland.
Doris Moore Bailey started Juneteenth celebrations in Lakeland 31 years ago. She believes the city's recognition is way past due.
“I think it’s well overdue and pleased to know that they finally did it. None are free until all are free,” said Moore Bailey.
Mike Brossart, the city's financial director, said the holiday will cost the city about $170,000 annually. Most of that will be to pay essential workers who must work when the city is on holiday.
