‘We’re Still Here’: Celebrating Juneteenth in the Fillmore
About this episode
The episode explores the history and significance of Juneteenth celebrations in the Fillmore district amidst systemic displacement of the Black community.
In 1945, Wesley Johnson, a San Francisco State graduate from Texas, rode down Fillmore Street, announcing Juneteenth and inviting all around to celebrate. At that time, the Fillmore district was the heart of San Francisco’s Black community, and famously known as the ‘Harlem of the West.’ But over the decades, systemic displacement in the name of urban renewal has dramatically shrunk the neighborhood’s Black population. Between 1970 and 2020, the Black population in the Fillmore dropped from 57% to just 16%. In this episode, we head to the Fillmore’s annual Juneteenth celebration and talk to a Fillmore native dedicated to keeping the community alive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Topics covered
- Juneteenth
- community celebration
- Black history
- urban renewal
- Fillmore district
Keywords
- Juneteenth
- Fillmore
- Black community
- urban renewal
- Wesley Johnson
- San Francisco
- celebration
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Fillmore, San Francisco, Texas, Fillmore district, Harlem of the West
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