The Juneteenth Jubilee in Van Cortlandt Park celebrated the 158th anniversary of the day slaves in the U.S. were freed in 1865. Hosted by the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and the Bronx Arts Ensemble, the event included drums, gospel music, and food from Voila Afrique, highlighting Black pride and culture. Judith Insell, from the Bronx Arts Ensemble, emphasized the importance of being recognized as fully human, referencing the historical Three-Fifths compromise. The location was significant, near landmarks that honor African heritage. The event signifies a growing recognition of Juneteenth since becoming a federal holiday under President Biden.
We celebrate when we finally got to be free and when we were considered more than a percentage of a human... we have been humans all along and all of a sudden, we are being perceived in a very different way.
Our first celebration was in [2021] in the wake of the George Floyd and things were very rough and at the time. NYC Parks was trying to do the right thing and rename different places in the park.
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