Chris Tucker highlights day of celebration in Kokomo

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It was a hot, breezy day in Foster Park June 15 as Kokomo marked its fourth Juneteenth celebration with music, food, and a special guest: actor and comedian Chris Tucker.

Made an official national holiday by President Joe Biden in 2021, Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in America when the state of Texas freed its enslaved population two years after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

Organized by Kokomo's Carver Community Center and the Kokomo Housing Authority, the 2024 Juneteenth gathering featured music by DJs from Power 104.9 and performances by Maximum Groove Band, the Shamaniac Drum troupe from Selma, Indiana, and an evening performance by the Binky Griptite Super Soul Review. Also performing were spoken word artists Ashley Herring and Clarence Motley.

The event really kicked into gear after Mayor Tyler Moore read the City of Kokomo's proclamation celebrating the Juneteenth holiday with the help of a special guest. It was then that comedian and actor Chris Tucker took the stage.

Tucker, famous for starring in the "Rush Hour" and iconic "Friday" movie series, noted heat by saying, "It is so hot out, I just saw some water looking for a drink of water."

Explaining his visit to Kokomo, Tucker noted one of his business partners had attended school in Kokomo and praised Carver Center as a place that had a positive impact on local young people. After Tucker spoke, Kokomo Bobkats Basketball Team general manager Sam Beckom and several of the Bobkats players presented Tucker with a Bobkats jersey.

Kokomo Housing Authority Executive Director Derick Steele awarded the annual Breaking Chains Award to the late Rev. Robert A. Lee, a former Center Township Trustee and pastor of Second Missionary Baptist Church.

"Dr. Lee saw his life as one of service," Steele said. "He believed it was an extension of why he was called into the ministry."

The purpose of the Breaking Chains Award is to recognize individuals and groups that have made a significant impact on breaking the chains of oppressive systems while bringing people together to improve the community as a whole.