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 White Plains, NY - The Annual Juneteenth Celebration for Westchester County, sponsored by The African American Chamber of Commerce of Westchester and Rockland Counties, Inc. (AACCWR), will take place June 19 through June 22, 2008.
The theme is From Sharecroppers to Share Holders (a quote by Dorothy Pittman-Hughes). The first event will be a Business to Business Reception honoring The Ten Most Influential Blacks at Crystal Bay Restaurant in Peekskill on Thursday, June 19th beginning at 6:00pm.
On Friday, June 20th there will be Jazz with the Stars, hosted by Duke Jones, owner of Baseline, site of the event, which is a new Jazz Club in Mount Vernon. Hank “Perk” Perkins, owner of Perks restaurant in Harlem will co-host. Music will be provided by Duke Jones and Friends.
The crowning event of the Celebration will be the Annual Celebrity Salute to the Players of the Negro Baseball League Games, featuring teams made up of local celebrities and anyone else who wants to come out and have a good time playing ball. This event will take place, Saturday, June 21st at Brush Park in Mount Vernon. Everyone is invited to sign on as players/sponsors/spectators. A portion of the proceeds from the games will used to fund a scholarship for the Mount Vernon Little League Program, directed by Ms. Lucille Jenkins. The co-chairs of this event are Robin Myers, owner of Harmony Designs and Eddie Abram, owner of Eco Auto Body.
The weekend will culminate with a worship service at Trinity Church, 335 So. Fourth Avenue in Mount Vernon where Rev. Dr. Joel Nafume is the pastor.
The Juneteenth Celebration commemorates the date – June 19, 1865 – when the slaves in Galveston, TX first received the word of the Emancipation Proclamation abolishing slavery which was originally issued by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. Today, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom which emphasizes education and achievement. Resolutions have been unanimously passed in the United States House of Representative and in the Senate encouraging the observance of Juneteenth with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs across the country, and asking that President Bush issue a Juneteenth Independence Day Proclamation.
Other major sponsors are Colgate Palmolive Co., WBLS Radio, The Westchester Business Journal and A’vatar Foundation, newly created to promote the arts in Westchester County.
The AACCWR was established June 28, 1996 as an independent not-for-profit agency to aid, counsel and protect the intrest of the African American business concerns. The mission, according to Robin L. Douglas, founder and president, is to preserve competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of Westchester and Rockland Counties.
For more information on the events call 914-699-4749 or see the website: www.aaccnys.org.
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