Flint, MI — Despite the rain, thousands of community members came together to celebrate Black history, culture, and freedom during Flint’s 2021 Juneteenth celebration including honoring Flint’s Champ Claressa Shields.
“I feel great, I’ve had celebrations before but none as big as this one. I think it’s deserved and overdue but I’m happy that it’s happening now and that everyone can like and appreciate my hard work and my accomplishments,” Shields said.
Shields, fresh off of a successful MMA debut, led the Champions Parade. The event drew thousands of bystanders and parade members to downtown Flint.
Shields’ fans lined the sidewalks of Saginaw Street, hoping for the chance to catch a glimpse of the world champion.
“We love you Claressa…We are all so proud of you,” said fans as the parade headed to Berston Field House on Flint’s north side.
After the year that has just passed, where Black issues were at the forefront of the national conversation and Juneteenth being made a federal holiday just days before the holiday celebrating the emancipation of enslaved Black people, Shields said it made her happy to see more people celebrating.
“This Juneteenth is a lot different. Juneteenth is now a national holiday … me and my family never celebrated it. I just started celebrating it in the last two or three years. It being an official holiday means a lot,” Shields said also acknowledging that she did not grow up celebrating the Juneteenth holiday.
Festivities also included vendors, food stands, live music and entertainment, bounce houses for children and an exotic animal display.
A mile away, at Max Brandon Park, the Traditional Juneteenth Celebration was hosting its Freedom Festival, where hundreds of residents came together to honor Juneteenth itself as well as community members, including E. Hill DeLoney.
DeLoney, a former social worker in Flint for 50 years, came to be known by many as “the Mother of Flint.” For her, now an 82-year-old woman, living to see Juneteenth become a federal holiday is something she never expected, nor did she expect to be celebrated along with the holiday.
“It didn’t start out that way,” DeLoney said with a laugh when asked about her part in the Freedom Festival.
“Personally, I have been celebrating this day for 60 years, I never thought I would live to see the federal government put together a federal holiday. I don’t know if I have the words to describe what I feel,” DeLoney said.
The Sparkle Pink Club for Girls is an empowerment and self-esteem boosting club based in Flint, Mich. Their float was part of the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Zaya Jones, 9, covers her hair from the rain as she walks with her team mate Naenae Veal , 13 during the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021. Both girls dance with the Kamazing Angels Dance Factory. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
The True Grill workers cook up polish sausages in their tent at the Black Wall Street Juneteenth event at Berston Field House in Flint, Mich. on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Zoologist Shekinah Wagner Lee brought her snake and other reptiles and insects to educate the community at the Black Wall Street Juneteenth event at the Berston Field House in Flint, Mich. on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Zoologist Shekinah Wagner Lee shows off a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach during the Black Wall Street Juneteenth event on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Water Warrior Claire McClinton speaks at the Traditional Juneteenth Celebration at Max Brandon Park in Flint, Mich. on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Minister Shearese Stapleton, 47, of Flint, sings at the Traditional Juneteenth Celebration at Max Brandon Park in Flint, Mich. on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
A Juneteenth celebrations attendee waits for his food at the Flint Trolley Ice Cream & Cafe in Downtown Flint on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
One of Claressa Shields’ Championship belts leaves with her as she exits a car and prepares to lead the Champions Parade in Flint on Saturday, June 19. (Santiago Ochoa | Flint Beat) 
Shirmae Harris, 17, a Flint native, stops for a short solo performance as she leads the For The Love of Dance Studio down Saginaw Street on Saturday, June 19. (Santiago Ochoa | Flint Beat) 
Deanto Townsend, a member of the Pistons Drumline crashes his cymbals together to the beat of the music while travelling down Saginaw Street on Saturday, June 19. (Santiago Ochoa | Flint Beat) 
Two members of the Champions Parade hold up two pom poms while making their way down Saginaw Street on Saturday, June 19. (Santiago Ochoa | Flint Beat) 
Claressa Shields, 26 world boxing champion and Flint native leads the Champions Parade march organized in her honor on Saturday, June 19. (Santiago Ochoa | Flint Beat) 
Fans and friends of Claressa Shields hold a a banner bearing her name and photo while marching down Saginaw Street on Saturday, May 19. (Santiago Ochoa | Flint Beat) 
Thousands of Flint resdients and visitors took to the streets of downtown to celebrate Juneenth and commemorate Claressa Shields on Saturday, June 19. (Santiago Ochoa | Flint Beat) 
A resident of the Durant apartment building in downtown Flint waves at Claressa Shields as she passes by on Saturday, June 19. (Santiago Ochoa | Flint Beat) 
An MTA bus driver gives Claressa Shields a thumbs-up as she drives past the Champions Parade on Saturday, June 19. (Santiago Ochoa | Flint Beat) 
Claressa Shields, 26 stands alongside Mayor Sheldon Neely, 52 and her boyfriend, Tony Richardson, 34 as she receives a certificiate from the city announcing an offical Claressa Shields day on Saturday, June 19. (Santiago Ochoa | Flint Beat) 
Quandell Brown, 6, blows bubbles at the Brush Park Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 19. (Santiago Ochoa | Flint Beat) 
A Flint police officer prepares to escort the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth in Flint, Mich, on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Congressman Dan Kildee waves from a convertible cruising down Saginaw Street in Downtown Flint during the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Members of the Flint United Basketball team and Team Market Owner Kevin Mays (right) drive down Saginaw Street for the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Jalil Carter of Flint represents the Nation of Islam while cruising up Saginaw Street during the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021. 
DJ B-Ray of Club 93.7 drives up Saginaw Street in Downtown Flint for the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
The Flint Faith Riders bicycle up Saginaw Street in Downtown Flint during the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich |Flint Beat) 
Jakobe Fields, 11, of Flint performs as part of the Amethyst Elite Dance Company team during the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Parade goers stick it out on the sidewalks of N. Saginaw Street throughout the rainy afternoon to watch the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021 in Flint, Mich. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
The Wolfpack Cheer squad marches in the rain up N. Saginaw Street in Flint, Mich. during the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
The Wolfpack Cheer squad marches in the rain up N. Saginaw Street in Flint, Mich. during the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Parade goers stick it out on the sidewalks of N. Saginaw Street throughout the rainy afternoon to watch the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021 in Flint, Mich. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Parade goers stick it out on the sidewalks of N. Saginaw Street throughout the rainy afternoon to watch the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021 in Flint, Mich. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Kamazing Angels Dance Factory dancers (from left) Naenae Veal, 13, Arielle Nelson, 14, and My’Angel Johnson, 14, of Flint pose for a photo on N. Saginaw Street during the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June, 19, 2021 in Flint, Mich. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
The Links, Incorperated members Chawn Greene-Farmer and Dr. Brenda Rogers-Grays carry a sign up N. Saginaw Street during the Champions Parade celebrating Juneteenth on June 19, 2021 in Flint, Mich. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Vendors set up awaiting parade goers in the back of Berston Field House in Flint, Mich. for the Black Wall Street Juneteenth event on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Zooologist Shekinah Wagner Lee brought some of her reptiles and insects for Black Wall Street Juneteenth attendies to learn about and pet at Berston Field House in Flint, Mich. on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
The Black Lives Matter Flint Chapter leader DeWaun Robinson speaks with E. Hill DeLoney at the Traditional Juneteenth Celebration at Max Brandon Park in Flint, Mich. on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Frank Haralson, 75, and Eugene Williams, 68, both of Flint, are part of the Buffalo Soldiers motorcycle group and were honored at the Traditional Juneteenth Celebration at Max Brandon Park in Flint, Mich. on June 19, 2021 for their commitment to culture. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
First Ward City Counselman Eric Mays speaks at the Traditional Juneteenth Celebration at Max Brandon Park in Flint, Mich. on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Attendees of the Traditional Juneteenth Celebration at Max Brandon Park in Flint, Mich. dance to the TBR Music Group on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Rich Jones of Flint dances to the sounds of the TBR Music Group at the Traditional Juneteenth Celebration at Max Brandon Park in Flint, Mich. on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Buckham Alley in Downtown Flint is filled with vendors and bounce houses for the Black Buckham Juneteenth event on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Activist Chasing Hawk, 26, of South Dakota, hangs out at the Poet for Hire booth during the Black Buckham Juneteenth Event in Buckham Alley in Downtown Flint on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Lee Grant Allen Jr. poses for a photo in front of a Pauly M. Everett painting inside his new space in Buckham Alley in Downtown Flint, Sol Collaborative during the Black Buckham Juneteenth event on June 19, 2021. The space will host pop-ups featuring local artists and designers and will eventually become a streetwear and sneaker store. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Student from Double Dragon Tang Soo Do studio, Corey Straham, 17, of Flint, raises his sword in Brush Park during the Juneteenth celebrations on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat) 
Flint Trolley Ice Cream & Cafe workers scoop ice cream at the Juneteeth celebration in Brush Park in Downtown Flint, Mich. on June 19, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
In downtown Flint, Juneteenth celebrations continued in Brush Park and Buckham Alley melded into one as hundreds of people in Saginaw Street bridged the gap between the two events.
“I’m so happy and my heart is so warm to see the community come together and celebrate what Juneteenth is supposed to be about. It’s about community, unity, freedom and liberation,” said Egypt Otis, owner of Comma Bookstore and one of the organizers for the Black Buckham Juneteenth Festival.
The event stretched Buckham Alley and featured Poets-for-Hire, food and music.
In Brush Park, attendees watched live on-stage performances from the park’s lawn and had access to a number of food vendors, including barbecue, ice cream and tacos.
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