Newark High School Celebrates Juneteenth Ahead Of 2023 Holiday

NEWARK, NJ — A large group of students at Weequahic High School in Newark joined with staff members and community leaders to hold a Juneteenth celebration this week.

Created under the direction of Weequahic High School’s Principal Kyle Thomas (G Khalik), the school’s Juneteenth event debuted last year and was highly successful, organizers said.

This year’s Juneteenth program at Weequahic High School was observed on Friday with staff and students (see above photo gallery). It included an appearance from guest speaker and South Ward council member, Pat Council.

Meanwhile, the entire school district will be closed to honor the holiday on Monday, June 19. It will be the first time in the Newark Public School District’s history that it will close out of respect for the oldest Black holiday in American history, according to history and Africana studies teacher Bashir Muhammad Ptah Akinyele, who coordinated Weequahic’s celebration for 2023.

• See Related: Juneteenth In Newark (Closures, Festival, Reparations, Expungements)

Akinyele said that the event at Weequahic High School included acknowledgements of "Hotep," an ancient African Kemetic / Egyptian word for peace, and "P.E.A.C.E.," or "proper education always corrects errors." Read More: Here's Why I Greet My Students With 'Hotep,' Newark Teacher Says

The event wrapped up with the following, he said:

• Libation to honor our African Ancestors led by Weequahic High School’s History and African (Black studies) teacher Bashir Muhammad Ptah Akinyele
• Welcoming remarks by Weequahic High School’s Principal Kyle (G Khalik)Thomas
• A short history of Juneteenth speech by Weequahic High School’s 11th Grade Junior Shywaun Bembry
• Words of inspiration by Newark, NJ’s City Hall Councilman Pat Council
• The end of Weequahic High School’s Juneteenth program finished with 7 Harambe (African Kiswahili word meaning people pulling together. Kiswahili is spoken in many parts of Africa. It is the language of Kwanzaa)

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