Three days of events to commemorate emancipation

The City of New Rochelle, in concert with The Lincoln Park Conservancy and others, ensured that everyone had the opportunity to celebrate Juneteenth 2025. Key events included a flag raising and ceremony at City Hall on the evening of June 18, a day-long festival at Glen Island Park the next day, and a showing of the award-winning film “Leveling Lincoln” on Friday evening, June 20.  The New Rochelle Public Library also sponsored Juneteenth events, including a one-woman play titled “My Life is Not My Own” and a program called Poetry in Jazz by Allen Harris.

Juneteenth Flag Raising and City Hall Ceremony

On Wednesday evening, June 18^th, residents gathered at City Hall to celebrate and commemorate Juneteenth. The event began with the raising of the Juneteenth flag and then moved indoors for a formal program, including a brief history of the holiday and recognition of individuals and organizations who have made outstanding contributions to the City of New Rochelle. 

The New Rochelle African American Advisory Committee organized the event along with the City Manager’s office. Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert and City Manager Wilfredo Melendez attended the celebration along with  City Council members David Peters, Shane Osinloye, Sara Kaye, and Matt Stern, as well as a number of City employees and other guests.  Some 50 people were in attendance.

The Mayor recounted the role of African Americans in the founding of New Rochelle, noting that they were most likely enslaved Africans transported by the Huguenots from colonies in the Caribbean, whose contributions, “though unpaid, were no less valuable.” She also congratulated the honorees, including the Gathering of Men, and posthumously, the Rev. Allen Paul Weaver, Jr.,. She read from a City Proclamation, recognizing “not only the important cultural richness, community leadership and invaluable contributions of the Black residents New Rochelle, past and present” but also the expectation that the Juneteenth holiday “serves as a call to action and accountability – reminding us to protect the freedoms and expand the opportunities, rights and freedoms of all people… And so I do hereby proclaim June 19th as Juneteenth Day, in the City of New Rochelle, and encourage all residents to honor the day with reflection and celebration and continued commitment to equity and freedom for all.”

Elder Mark McLean gave a brief history of Juneteenth, first celebrated in 1865 in Galveston, Texas, when the population learned about the Emancipation Proclamation, two-and-a-half years after President Lincoln signed it in Washington, DC. Elder McLean noted that despite the dehumanizing experience of slavery, African Americans never lost their deep commitment to family or their human spirit. Upon receiving the news that they were free, Elder McLean said, the first thing the formerly enslaved did was try to find family members who had been sold away. He shared that in the Black community, Juneteenth has been celebrated since 1866 with “faith, family and food” in spite of the fact that it was not recognized by mainstream culture. He expressed gratitude that in 2021, the country recognized the historical and cultural importance of Juneteenth.

Mayor Ramos-Herbert then invited Lady Weaver and Pastor Allen Paul Weaver, III, to receive the formal Proclamation honoring Pastor Weaver, Jr. for his significant commitments to both the interfaith community and the civic life of the City. The Mayor read the Proclamation, which states in part, that Dr. Weaver “contributed profoundly to civic life in New Rochelle, serving as president of the NAACP, participating on the city’s Charter Revision Commission and working through interfaith partnerships to build bridges across communities;  [was] “a lifelong advocate for justice, equity, and faith in action;  has made a lasting impact through national leadership roles, international missions, educational contributions, and his commitment to mentoring future leaders in both church and society; and continues to embody the spirit of Juneteenth, uplifting freedom, dignity and shared progress through his scholarship service and steadfast commitment to faith family community….”

Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert (r) and City Manager Wilfredo Menendez (l) honoring the family of Rev. Dr. Allen Paul Weaver, Jr.

City Councilmember David Peters invited the Gathering of Men to the Podium, and read the Proclamation presented to them, which read, in part, “… the organization has cultivated a strong brotherhood of conscientious men dedicated to uplifting, protecting, and empowering both current and future generations; … has made a meaningful impact through mentorship, leadership, development, and direct engagement with youth and adults alike, providing college scholarships, fostering personal growth, and building a culture of accountability and excellence… and …beyond programming the Gathering of Men champion educational achievement, economic empowerment, home ownership, and financial literacy all while reinforcing the importance of strong families and positive role models…”

Councilmember David Peters honoring the Gathering of Men

All three Proclamations were signed by Mayor Ramos-Herbert, and will be framed and hung on the wall of the City Council Chambers for all to see.

Restoring Our History – Juneteenth Celebration at Glen Island

Roughly 1600 people visited Glen Island on June 19^th to celebrate Juneteenth. This year’s theme was Restoring Our History. There were musicians and dancers, as well as face painting, hair braiding, a bouncy castle, arts and crafts, and a history-based game for children. Attendees browsed among some 30 vendors, including food trucks serving soul food and specialty ice teas, books, jewelry, clothing and artwork.

Photo credit: Susan Nagib

Aisha Cook, president of the NAACP of New Rochelle, shared that, “The event not only celebrates our legal emancipation from slavery, but underscores the importance of preserving Black history and teaching it to our children, who do not often learn about it in school.” 

Photo credit: Susan Nagib

Leslie Gaskin, a volunteer and a member of New Rochelle’s African American Advisory Committee said, “This is my third year supporting this event, and I have noticed that the team of volunteers grows each year. I think that’s due in large part to the leadership at The Lincoln Park Conservancy (TLPC). They work hard, but they have fun too, and that energy is contagious! The result is a team of folks who look forward to making the TLPC Juneteenth Celebration a success every year.”

Photo credit: Susan Nagib

And Otilia Taylor-Tanner, the owner of Humble Bumble Book, participating as as a vendor at the event for the fourth year,  She commented that, “It’s very important that the community recognize and support the delayed legacy of African American commerce, and gather together to celebrate independence, autonomy, and their contributions to the American dream. My intentions are to always recognize and commemorate the forgotten history of marginalized communities by curating books that examine, educate, and celebrate these ideals.”

Photo credit: Susan Nagib

The event, now in its fifth year, was organized by The Lincoln Park Conservancy led by Executive Director Linda Tarrant-Reid, along with a team of volunteers, several of whom have been working at the event each year since it began. Other contributors include Westchester County, the City of New Rochelle, Con Ed, Arts Westchester and The NRP Group.

Documentary on New Rochelle School Desegregation Battle Shown at the Remington Boys and Girls Club

The film “Leveling Lincoln” was shown at the Remington Boys and Girls Club on Friday night, June 20, as part of New Rochelle’s Juneteenth celebration, co-sponsored by the Lincoln Park Conservancy.  This 2024 Emmy Award winning documentary depicts New Rochelle in the 1960’s, when a group of New Rochelle parents launched a landmark civil rights lawsuit known as “Taylor v. the Board of Education” aiming to desegregate the Lincoln School.  The Board of Education fought the suit all the way to the Supreme Court, leading New Rochelle to be known as the “Little Rock of the North,” echoing that city’s infamous resistance to desegregation in the 1950s.  The film is a remarkable piece of both local and American history, honoring the brave parents who fought for their children’s right to attend a good school and obtain a good education, and their dedicated lawyer, Paul B. Zuber. Many of the plaintiffs and their now adult children were interviewed in the film, including Hallie Taylor, Barbara Hall, Dorothy Oliver, and others. There were even a few family members in the audience paying homage to their grandmothers, who led this battle.

The film also interviewed members of the New Rochelle High School class of 1977, the first students to be bused to Roosevelt and Ward elementary schools, who shared what it was like to be a Black student in a white school that had never been integrated. Their stories were heart-rending tales of ignorance, bullying, and occasionally, kindness and friendship.

It is hard to watch this film and not be reminded of the terrible legacy of racism, red-lining and segregation that shaped New Rochelle. And it’s painful now to look back on the decision to tear down  the Lincoln Elementary School, knowing that Black students in New Rochelle are still being bused to schools in predominantly white neighborhoods, and have still not achieved educational equity. The lawsuit, and others like it, may have succeeded in desegregating the schools, but not in desegregating communities. It is an ongoing conversation, evidenced by the creation of the Lincoln Attendance Zone PTSA to ensure that the families whose children attend schools outside of their neighborhoods have a voice in their education. 

The film, “Leveling Lincoln,” can be viewed online with the free PBS app at https://www.pbs.org/show/leveling-lincoln/)