Tommy Meeks

Tommy Meeks, founder of the Rockford Juneteenth Celebration.

For 33 years, Tommy Meeks has organized celebrations of Juneteenth in Rockford. The multi-day celebration began at Levings Lake Park and eventually was relocated to Sinnissippi Park as a bigger venue was needed due to the celebration growing. It is now a two-day event that features local talent, businesses, music, fellowship, and community awards. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the last African American slaves held in Confederate states were finally freed by the Union army. Six months later, the Thirteenth Amendment officially made slavery illegal throughout the “entire” United States. Tommy’s celebration helps promote and cultivate knowledge and appreciation of African American history. Juneteenth Rockford is now the longest running Juneteenth celebration in Illinois. Tommy even proposed to his wife Evelyn, on stage at one of the Juneteenth celebrations.

In addition to organizing Juneteenth, Tommy is a community leader, mentor, and award-winning activist.  By day, he works at the Winnebago County’s Resource Intervention Center helping ex-offenders turn their lives around. He also hosts a talk show on Comcast called, “Time for a Change,” an interview show with people he finds inspirational. Tommy’s motto is always, “Help people, not hurt people.”