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Aurora proclaims Juneteenth holiday; community members say city removed flag raising event
Summary
Mayor John Lash read a Juneteenth proclamation at the June 17 meeting, while public commenters and African American Heritage Advisory Board members said the city eliminated the traditional Juneteenth flag‑raising event and asked for engagement and explanation.
Mayor John Lash read a proclamation declaring June 19, 2025, a day of Juneteenth observance in Aurora during the June 17 Committee of the Whole. The proclamation recognized Juneteenth’s federal and state status and recalled the city council’s prior action to make Juneteenth a paid city holiday.
Members of the public and city advisory board members used the meeting’s public comment portion to say the administration removed the city’s Juneteenth flag‑raising. Curtis Wilson, chair of the African American Heritage Advisory Board, told the council that the event had occurred annually and that the board produced multiple flag‑raisings in prior years. “Our once proud city of Aurora under this new administration has intentionally decided to dishonor Juneteenth with the calculated surprise elimination of the Juneteenth flag raising,” Wilson said during public comment.
Wilson noted the council previously approved a related action (he cited “Resolution 22‑084”) and said his board had not been consulted about the alleged elimination. He asked council members to reinstate visibility for Juneteenth and said the celebration has local meaning for descendants of enslaved people. The mayor and staff did not offer an immediate response to the specific complaint at the time of public comment.
At the meeting’s podium, the mayor read language that invoked Juneteenth’s place in national history and Aurora’s 2022 vote to make Juneteenth a city holiday. Mayor Lash said the city acknowledges local leaders and community groups that organize Juneteenth observances and encouraged residents to celebrate.
There was no formal council vote reported on changing the city’s event schedule; public comment rules require staff follow‑up on concerns “within the scope of the city’s authority” after the meeting. The African American Heritage Advisory Board and members of the public asked for explanation and engagement from the administration about event planning and the flag‑raising schedule.
