There’s an age range of African Americans in Pittsburgh that don’t remember when Black Solidarity Day was held and celebrated here.
“I was a little kid, my parents taking me (to them),” said B. Marshall who, as a kid, has memories of the Civic Arena as the site for all the Black communities across the city coming together in unison. He specifically remembers the celebrations held in the early ‘70s.
[pullquote]“This is an African American event and we don’t have too many of those in the City of Pittsburgh where we show unity, community, and solidarity. It’s important for your children to see their culture and heritage and give them the mindset of achievement.”
B. MARSHALL
Organizer, Pittsburgh’s Juneteenth Celebration[/pullquote]“The Hill District, West Side, everybody came together in our communities, and it was a festival. Different vendors, different activities were there. Homewood, South Side. We didn’t act like we were separated,” Marshall said.
Those memories will never go away for Marshall. He’s now in his sixth year as the leader of Pittsburgh’s Juneteenth Celebration. Juneteenth is the most popular annual celebration of emancipation from slavery in the United States, but for Marshall and his organization, Stop The Violence Pittsburgh, it’s his way of attempting to bring all African Americans from all sides and backgrounds together, just like the old days.
“We’ve lost that,” Marshall said of the togetherness of Pittsburgh’s Black communities. He said this weekend’s Juneteenth is a way to “look at each other more as humans, rather than (looking at each other) in a negative light.”
There are three days of events this year, beginning with the Celebration of Life gala at the Heinz History Center, Friday, June 22 at 6 p.m. Several religious leaders and historians who have worked toward the betterment of others will be honored. It’s also the primary fundraiser for the Juneteenth festivities, Marshall said. Tickets will be available at the door for $50.
Saturday morning, June 23, will see hundreds of participants in the Juneteenth Freedom Parade, beginning at 11 a.m. at Freedom Corner in the Hill District (Centre Avenue and Crawford Street). Jennifer Picnkney will serve as Grand Marshal of the parade, which will proceed down Centre Avenue, through Downtown and on to Point State Park.
Picnkney, along with her daughter, were some of the survivors of the June 17, 2015 attack at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina by self-described White supremacist Dylann Roof. On that evening, Roof prayed with members of the church, then unexpectedly pulled out a gun and shot to death nine church members, including Pinckney’s husband, Clementa C. Picnkney. Clementa was the pastor of the church.
When the parade contingent arrives at Point State Park, that’s when the Martin R. Delany Freedom Day Festival officially begins. Marshall told the Courier that Saturday’s docket will include live bands, speakers, a voter registration drive, vendors, African drummers, a Kids Fun Zone and of course, food and drinks. Later in the afternoon, festival organizers will attempt to set the world record with the largest Soul Train dance line.
While the activities are occuring at Point State Park, new this year is a Juneteenth Justice Forum at the August Wilson Center, June 23, from 3 to 5 p.m. Panelists, including Valerie Dixon with Center for Victims, state Rep. Ed Gainey, Lashaun King, Brandi Fisher with the Alliance for Police Accountability, and Picnkney, will discuss domestic violence, community violence, police violence and White supremacist terrorism.
The event will be coordinated by V. Fawn Walker Montgomery and moderated by Aerion Abney.
Sunday, June 24 is when the Black Music Festival takes center stage. Beginning around 11 a.m., there will be gospel groups, jazz bands, R&B singers, youth dance troupes, and of course, the food and drinks. National recording band Shining Star will perform the best Earth, Wind and Fire hits.
Sponsors of the Juneteenth Celebration include The Heinz Endowments, UPMC, The POISE Foundation, Heinz History Center, New York Life Insurance, the City of Pittsburgh and Moriarty Consultants Inc.
“This is an African American event and we don’t have too many of those in the City of Pittsburgh where we show unity, community, and solidarity,” Marshall told the New Pittsburgh Courier. “It’s important for your children to see their culture and heritage and give them the mindset of achievement.”
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