Stewart-Cousins Leads Juneteenth Parade

WHITE PLAINS – On Saturday, June 10, New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins led the White Plains Juneteenth Parade as Grand Marshal of the ceremony, leading the procession along the entire length of Mamaroneck Avenue.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is celebrated by African Americans on June 19 to commemorate the abolition of slavery in the United States. The day was first commemorated in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to celebrate the day Union soldiers, led by General Gordon Granger, shared the news of the Civil War’s end to the last state in the south.

Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation two and a half years earlier – but it had not affected many states, including Texas, that had either not participated in the Confederate rebellion or had been too geographically isolated to have learned of the war’s end.

Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of African Americans and the many contributions the African American community has made throughout the nation’s history.

This parade marked the White Plains Juneteenth Heritage Committee’s thirteenth year of commitment to celebrating Juneteenth’s traditions and ideals. The procession attracted a diverse crowd of people from all over Westchester County and the New York City tri-state area, and was the first of many celebrations scheduled to be held in the 35th Senate District.

“It’s an honor to lead and celebrate this year’s Juneteenth Parade in White Plains,” said Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins. “Juneteenth is a sweet celebration of pride and freedom. It gives us the opportunity to reflect on the legacy of our ancestors, who fought tirelessly for their freedom and, with dignity and resilience, broke the bonds of slavery to ensure their children thrived. Juneteenth is a significant time in American history that reminds us how important it is to continue fighting for a world in which racial equality is fully realized.”