Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Jun Jun, and Liberation Day, is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. In 2021 it will be recognized as an official New York State holiday. Join us as we come together to celebrate this historic, and momentous occasion marked by a month-long series of Juneteenth activities around Westchester County with a special online kickoff event on June 1 from 7 – 9pm. The celebration will feature a keynote lecture by Civil Rights Scholar and public historian, Dr. Larry H. Spruill. Dr. Spruill, a recent Sy Schulman Award Winner, spoke to a full house at Jay Heritage Center (JHC) in June 2019 about the importance of preserving black history in Westchester and more recently participated in the 2020 Trailblazers ceremony also held at JHC.
Register for the virtual kickoff here featuring a video about the work of the African-American History in Westchester Commemoration Committee of which JHC is a proud member and highlight the 14 sites on Westchester’s African American Heritage Trail. The film was created by photographer Kim Crichlow and narrated by Dave Thomas, Founder of the Friends of the African American Cemetery in Rye and Kisha Skipper, Chair of the African-American History in Westchester Commemoration Committee (AAHWCC).
Organized by our partners at the Westchester County African-American African American Advisory Board, Arts Westchester, the African-American History in Westchester Commemoration Committee of which JHC is a proud member and many other community organizations. Sponsored by the New York State Council on the Arts, KeyBank and Arts Westchester with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.