7th Annual Peekskill Juneteenth Parade & Celebration

7th Annual Peekskill Juneteenth Parade & Celebration

 

Juneteenth  is  the  oldest   known  celebration  of  the  ending  of  slavery.  It  is  the  day,  June  19, 1865   when  the  Union  soldiers, led  by  Major  General  Gordon  Granger,  landed  at  Galveston,  Texas  with  news  that  the  war  had  ended  and  that  all  slaves  were  now  free.  This  event  occurred  more  than  two  and  a  half  years  after   the  date  of  January  1,  1863  when  the  Emancipation  Proclamation   had  become  official.   Juneteenth,  also  known  as  “Freedom  Day”  or  “Emancipation  Day”,  is  a  holiday  created  by  Black  people  in  the  United  States   to  honor,  and  celebrate  African  American   ancestry,   history,  achievements,  and  struggles.    Juneteenth  is  now  recognized  as  a  state  holiday  or  state  holiday  observance  in  45  states  as  well  as  the  District  of  Columbia.

The  Peekskill  Juneteenth  Heritage  Committee  with  support  from  the  City  of  Peekskill  has   named two  Grand  Marshals  for   Peekskill’s  Seventh  Annual  Juneteenth  Parade and Celebration which  will  be  held  on  Saturday,  June  17,  2017:  Ms. Linda Tarrant-Reid and Mr. Edward Eugene “Pete” Peterson, Jr.

Linda Tarrant-Reid is an author, freelance journalist and photographer.  Her current works include:  Discovering Black America: From the Age of Exploration to the Twenty-First Century (AbramsBooks, 2012) and the forthcoming Discovering Latino America:  From Pre-Colonial Times to the Present-Day (AbramsBooks).  Ms. Tarrant-Reid’s first book was Discovering Black New York: A Guide to the City’s Most Important African American Landmarks, Restaurants, Museums, Historical Sites and More (Citadel Press, 2001).  Her blog, which can be found at:   www.discoverblackus.com features Tarrant-Reid’s take on contemporary issues presented in a historical context impacting the African American community.  Information about her works, including her latest book Discovering Black America can be found at: www.discoverblackamerica.com .

Ms. Tarrant-Reid is the President of the Tarrant-Reid Group, a Westchester-based company that provides cultural programming including author presentations, workshops, book signings and symposia, as well as literary and editorial services to schools, corporations and community organizations.  She also conducts workshops for grades 2-12 on themes in her book Discovering Black America. Ms. Tarrant-Reid was the co-project manager of “Reflections of Change:  A 50-year Retrospective of the Lincoln School Decision,” a yearlong commemoration sponsored by the City School District of New Rochelle in 2011.  Linda is the Vice President of the New Rochelle Council on the Arts; Executive Director of the Lincoln Park Conservancy and grow! Lincoln Park Community Garden; and Curator of the NRCA Rotunda Gallery at New Rochelle City Hall.

Edward E. Peterson, Jr. was born at Tuskegee Institute Hospital in Tuskegee, Alabama on December 15, 1961 to Edward E. Sr and Annie R. Peterson.

At the age of four his family moved to Peekskill where he was raised.  He attended and graduated from the Peekskill School District in 1980.  After graduation, he attended and graduated from the Westchester Business Institute in 1982 with an Associate Degree in Business Management. He then enlisted in the Army National Guard.  He completed training as a 36 Charlie Communication/Wire Installer, and remained a National Guardsman until 1988.

In 1988, he married his “High School Sweetheart”, Audrey Woods.  He has three daughters, Angela, Tiffany and Porsche, two grandsons, Prince E. Marsh and Legend Dala Woode, and one granddaughter, Nyla Nevaeh Tisdell.  Pete is a very dedicated family man, with a unique personality.  His “motto” is “Strive to be the very best that you can be, in everything you do”.

“Pete” as he is well known, is not a member of any club or organization.  He is one of the original organizer of the 1st African American Festival, which is held annually at the Peekskill River Front. He currently has two Music Video shows on the local Cable Station, Strictly Rap, which runs rap music videos, and Soulful Sounds, which runs R&B music videos.

After 25 years of dedicated service to the Peekskill High School as a Security Aide, Pete retired on December 31, 2016.  He is the CEO of ESQ Entertainment, which is an Entertainment Company.  He has worked closely with the Annual Kwanzaa Expo, which was sponsored by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., the Parks & Recreation Summer “Teen Night”, Guiding Eyes for the Blind Walkathon, the Elton Brand Summer Basketball Camp, the Red Devils Summer Basketball Camp and the Elton Brand Fan Club.  Several of the awards that he has received are; “Continued Dedication & Commitment to all of Peekskill’s Youth”, from the Peekskill Youth Bureau, “Outstanding Public Service & Dedication to Community”, NERROD Enterprises, “Recognition of Appreciation Award”, Peekskill High School Black Culture Club.  He also helps with the Peekskill High School Basketball Teams.

The  Peekskill Juneteenth Parade  will  start  at  2pm  and   will  be  preceded  by  a  short  ceremony  at  Park  Street  AME  Zion  Church  at  1:30 pm.   The  parade  will  kick  off  on  Park  Street  in  front  of  the  church,  and  end  on Water Street.

At  Peekskill’s  Riverfront Green  Park   beginning  at  11AM,  there  will  be  a  variety  and  diversity   of  vendors.  From  4pm  to  8pm,  there  will  be  an  extensive  entertainment  lineup  of  Gospel,  Jazz,  Hip  Hop  music,  dance,  and  poetry  which  will  be   performed  on  the  stage  at  Riverfront  Park.  The evening’s dancing music will  be  provided  by  BASECAMP, a popular soulful R&B band.

Vendors  at  Riverfront  Green  Park  will  sell   food,  crafts,  clothing,  and  artifacts  that  are  representative  of  African,  African American,  Caribbean,  and  American  culture.  Additionally,  Underground  Railroad  Tours   will  be  offered  by  LaFern  Joseph,  leaving  from  The  FernTree   at  13  South  Division Street, Peekskill.  To schedule an appointment for a  tour  call  (914) 382-9226.

 

Admission to the Park is  Free.   Come out and show your support  for  this  historic  event.

Author: Harlem Valley News