Juneteeth Archives - Pavement Pieces

On the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, marchers say too little has changed

Narkwor Kwabla — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 20:26:27 +0000

"My father was only five when segregation ended and I'm still here marching for the same stuff that he marched for.

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Juneteenth protestors march from Brooklyn to Manhattan

Bessie Liu — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 18:08:00 +0000

Thousands of New Yorkers gathered at Cadman Square park yesterday, to prepare for a long day of protesting.

The protests were held by a grassroots organization named Unite NY, founded by a group of passionate young activists after the murder of George Floyd.

The rally was supported by Black Lives Matter, and despite the heat, demonstrators showed up wearing black clothing.

Protestors prepare to march across the Brooklyn Bridge on Juneteenth. June 19, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Woman shows her support to protestors marching on Juneteenth. June 19, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Demonstrators march across the Brooklyn Bridge. June 19, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Protestor chants passionately at Juneteenth March. June 19, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Rodrick Covington, a broadway actor, guides the chants and music during Juneteenth march. June 19, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Protestors march through Brooklyn Bridge. June 19, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Demonstrator holding a sign which urges the government to defund the New York Police Department. June 19, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Protestors deciding which direction to turn after arriving in Manhattan. June 19, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

NYPD stands on sideways, watching protestors from a distance. June 19, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Teenager showing his support for Juneteenth protests. June 19, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

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Staten Island paints “Black Lives Matter” on Richmond Street

Alpha Kamara — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 17:42:51 +0000

“What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!

That was the cry of the day as hundreds of Black Lives Matters protesters in Staten Island were joined by city officials to paint Black Lives Matters in Richmond Terrace. It was the borough’s way of marking the commemoration of Juneteenth yesterday.

The murals were painted close to Staten Island Ferry, Borough Hall, 120th Police Precinct and the Staten Island Supreme Court. The street is considered the gateway to Staten Island.

Juneteenth is the date Galveston, Texas slaves were told that they were free. This was two years after slaves were freed through the Emancipation Proclamation.

Mayor Bill De Blasio told the crowd that the city is committed to fight racial injustice.

“We are working on strategies to form a racial justice and reconciliation commission,” he said. “It will be similar to other Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s in other parts of the world to know what went wrong and how can it be corrected with a deep historical reflection.”

District Councilwoman Debi Rose, remembered the murder of Eric Garner who died while in a chokehold by police for selling loose cigarretes near the ferry. The officer was never charged.

“It was here at this point where Eric Garner was killed in 2014 by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo through an aggressive and illegal chokehold,” she said. “So painting here today is to call on the authorities to end injustice and racial biases.”

Amoy Barnes, a city council candidate said the street murals should remind residents that people of color have been suffering for too long and it’s time for words to be put into practice.

“Black Lives Matter is a movement not a moment,’’ Barnes said. “There is a need for consistency, enactment of legislations, voting, census participation and other actions to ensure inequality and injustice against blacks are fought.”

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