Town Of Rye Juneteenth And Call To Service Saturday

TOWN OF RYE, NY —The Town of Rye, the Friends of the African American Cemetery and the leadership of The Osborn invite neighbors to stand together and learn to beautify and celebrate the African American Cemetery, this Saturday, at 10 a.m.

In respect and observance of Juneteenth, members of the Town Council are asking community members to participate in a gardening event at the site.

First, a commemoration will have lessons in history from local experts and perspectives from the descendants of the heroes interred within the cemetery. The town says it will be an opportunity to pay homage to the experiences of local Black emigrants and citizens over the past two centuries.

Speakers will include President of the African American Cemetery David Thomas and Village Mamaroneck Trustee candidate Leilani Yizar-Reid, whose ancestors are interred within the cemetery. They will be joined by other speakers, including area politicians and community leaders.

The commemoration will then be followed by the service project at the African American Cemetery (in the Greenwood Union Cemetery), located at 215 North St. in the Town of Rye, starting at 10:45 a.m.

Participants are urged to wear outdoor work gloves and bring any items that might help with cleaning up, such as rakes, shovels, outdoor brooms. It will be important to dress appropriately, with thick socks and closed-toe shoes and in layers, if necessary. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

The events will take place, rain or shine. Online registration is required here.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Liberation Day, is a celebration of the end of slavery in the U.S. It is officially celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the day in 1865 when Union Major General Gordon Granger marched into Galveston, TX and announced that the Civil War was over. Galveston was the last city in the nation that still had slaves, and they were freed after Granger arrived.

After being celebrated by the African American community for more than a century, Juneteenth was made an official federal holiday in 2021.