The city’s first official celebration of Juneteenth as a federal holiday brought several hundred people to Harlem’s James Baldwin Lawn at St. Nicholas Park on Friday night, as they and city leaders commemorated the occasion while vowing to continue the march toward equality in America.
Mayor Bill de Blasio hosted the celebration that saw a number of speakers including City First Lady Chirlane McCray, Street Corner Resources founder Iesha Sekou, as well as actress Naturi Naughton, who had her own holiday named after her through mayoral proclamation.
