The White Plains Juneteenth Heritage Committee is proud to announce its Annual Juneteenth Celebration, which will be held this year virtually on Saturday, June 12th from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. This event will air on Fios channel 47, Optimum channel 75 and streamed live on our Facebook page “White Plains Juneteenth Heritage, Inc.” This exciting event is free for the entire community and we welcome all to attend. Our 2020-2021 Grand Marshal is Wayne Bass, Commissioner of White Plains Recreation & Parks. Wayne Bass has been a valued member of the WP Juneteenth Committee since 2012. Wayne was chosen because of his leadership in the community and steadfast commitment to honoring and preserving our legacy.
Program will have live performances, Greetings from dignitaries, National Anthem sung by Selah Armstrong, Negro National Anthem sung by Asian Whitaker. Flag raising ceremony, Ancestral Prayer by Joseph Boykin with Salim Ptah on drums. For Musical entertainment, Jazz Vocalist Samara Joy, Poetry “Mama Africa” by Heather Miller with Joseph Boykin on piano and Jahlil Shabazz on drums. We will also be sharing past parade and festival footage.
The 2021 theme “Preserving Our Legacy”, illustrates the historical commitment of those who came before us and our determination to continue to fulfill their legacy. With that imparted, it is of great importance that we achieve our desired objectives which are to better communicate the history and celebration of Juneteenth, gain greater participation from the overall community, educate our youth in the importance of this historical holiday and strengthen funding so that this celebration will continue to thrive.