It was a beautiful Monday afternoon for a flag raising, Paradise Drummers Zen and Mam Dov Dov were pounding away on the drums, and people were dancing, as Bronx Borough President Vanesa L. Gibson came out for the Juneteenth flag raising. She brought with her a Proclamation declaring today Juneteenth Day in the Bronx. Deputy Bronx Borough President Janet Peguero, Councilwoman Althea Stevens, Assemblywoman Chantel Jackson with son TJ, and various community activists and Bronxites were also on hand.
Borough President Gibson gave a rousing explanation of Juneteenth (June 19th), the Abolition of Slavery in the United States in 1865 after the Civil war. BP Gibson added that only half of the states recognize Juneteenth as a holiday. In 1994 then Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law that Juneteenth become a state holiday. She added that since Juneteenth falls on a Sunday this year public school students are off Monday June 20th.
Camden Plaza in Brooklyn will be named Juneteenth Park, Percy Sutton Park in Harlem, and in the Bronx Mullaly Park will be renamed Reverend Wendell Foster Park in honor of Juneteenth. Assemblywoman Jackson, Councilwoman Stevens, Deputy Bronx BP Peguero, and Activist Linda L. Kemp spoke echoing Borough President Gibson's words.
Linda L. Kemp of Bringing the Peace Inc. spoke about Juneteenth.
Borough President Gibson stands in front of the flagpole as she announces that the Bronx BP Juneteenth flag could not be found, and will be raised when it is, or a new one is obtained.
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