History in Milwaukee: Juneteenth flag raised for first time ever

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- History was made in Milwaukee Friday, June 19 in celebration of Juneteenth. 

The Juneteenth flag was raised above the Frank P. Zeidler building at Broadway and Kilbourn. City leaders gathered with the community to celebrate it.

A Juneteenth march is set to kick off at noon at Martin Luther King Drive Jr. and Concordia, and will head south. It's one of the many Juneteenth celebrations including the flag raising. 

Juneteenth was officially recognized for the first time in Wisconsin, after a state bill was passed in 2009. 

The flag was created by Ben Hayes in 1997, and the bursting star symbolizes the end of slavery in the U.S., and the flag was revised in 2000 with the date that all African American slaves were declared free -- June 19, 1865. 

Alderwoman Milele Coggs said with the current Black Lives Matter movement going on, this year's Juneteenth should have special meaning. 

"I think people should even celebrate with greater intention and my hope is that these times more than ever that people today pay tribute to our ancestors who fought and showed the resilience for us to even be here today. That we revel in the now. The fact that there are people across the globe unified on the idea and concept that Black lives do in fact matter and that we get renewed and refreshed," Coggs said. 

A community cleanup also runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Moody Park -- near 23rd and Burleigh in Milwaukee.