Western Pennsylvania Juneteenth Celebration a weekend of empowerment and joy

The spaces of Market Square and Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh teemed with revelers and vendors ready to celebrate the first day of Western Pennsylvania’s Juneteenth Celebration, produced by William “B” Marshall, CEO and founder of Stop the Violence.

The first day of the weekend celebration, which is free and open to all, brought out more than 200 vendors and a larger crowd despite gray skies and a downpour.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day and Jubilee Day, commemorates June 19, 1865, a marker for the end of enslavement in the United States.

On June 19, 1865, Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to bring the news of freedom to the enslaved people there. This news came late, as President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 was supposed to have granted enslaved people in Texas their freedom, and the Civil War already had officially ended in the spring of 1865.

Many initial Juneteenth celebrations served as a way to reconnect with family members and fellowship over food, and included speeches.

Marshall’s Juneteenth carried a similar energy of celebration and joy. He has been producing the Juneteenth celebration in Pittsburgh since 2013.

“The first day is lovely,” Marshall said. Marshall and his team were up at 6 a.m. getting everything set up. “We are happy that we were able to do it here at Point State Park, Market Square and Liberty Plaza.”

Despite the obstacles he encountered while producing the celebration, Marshall prevailed and was steadfast in creating this environment.

“This is a joyful event. So far, everybody is excited and thanking me for not stopping,” he said.

There had been a debate on Pittsburgh City Council about whether to fund Marshall’s Juneteenth event or one planned by another group. Council ended up funding both.

“I continue fighting because I love my people. We are never going to stop because of small problems with the city and the state,” Marshall said. “We just push forward.”

Vendors came from all across Western Pennsylvania — some even traveling from Chicago and Indiana — to be part of the weekend. Items such as jewelry, art, ice cream, fried fish, fresh-pressed juice and lemonade, clothing, skincare products and practically anything a person might think of were provided by Black-owned businesses.

“I wanted to be here today just to give my people some goodness. It’s the best fish they will ever taste. I wanted my people to have the opportunity to have something great,” said Dennis Hawkins Jr., owner of Best Fish by Dennis Hawkins Jr. Hawkins, of Donora, was in the middle of frying whiting and catfish at his booth in Market Square.

A man who identified himself only as Bentley H. was walking across Market Square to the sounds of jazz music on his lunch break. It’s something he was sure not to miss. Bentley has been coming to the Juneteenth celebrations for the past three years.

“I’ve always enjoyed it,” he said. “It’s just a wonderful event to come out, enjoy the culture, the music, the food and the fellowship.”

Momentum built throughout Friday as attendees heard music across three stages. The main events took place in the evening, with three acts across two stages: Freeway and Beanie Sigel at Point State Park, followed by Arrested Development and KLYMAXX at Market Square.

Saturday’s festivities started with a Jubilee Parade led by Tuskegee Airman Col. James H. Harvey and Percy Miller, also known as rap artist Master P. The parade started at Freedom Corner in the Hill District and moved Downtown. Scheduled for later Saturday was a forum on voting rights in a ticketed event, “Big Money Talk Summit,” featuring Dame Dash and Master P.

More concerts were scheduled for Saturday and Sunday evenings. BLACKBYRDS and Friends performed in Market Square in the afternoon. Saturday evening’s concerts are being dubbed a Ladies Night, beginning with Elle Varner at Stage 1 in Point State Park, then Brownstone and Keke Wyatt.

On Sunday, the concerts will begin at 5 p.m. with Adam Hawley in Market Square on Stage 2, then Kelly Price at Point State Park at Stage 1 at 6 p.m. The night will finish with Stokely from the group Mint Condition, also at Point State Park.

“The Black community coming together is just wonderful to see. The whole community comes together; I love it,” said Jacquelle Blackburne, 33, of Monroeville, who attends the celebration every year.

Kennethea Wilson, the owner of Kindred Beads, was excited about being at the celebration because she is passionate about uplifting Black culture. “I am Black, I love being Black, so I am rooting for everybody Black,” she said. At her booth, she had an assortment of waist beads, bracelet and necklace sets, and some apparel matching sets, including crop tops. Her beads are all handmade and sourced from Ghana.

“Waist beads have been around since ancient times. It is a sign of adornment, rites of passage and cultural empowerment,” she said.

For Wilson, when she thinks about Black consciousness, “I think that we are still aiming for liberation.”

“We need to come together as a people to make sure we are supporting ourselves and our businesses and protecting the Black dollar,” Wilson said. “Liberation looks like supporting our own.”

Marlon Gist was showcasing his artwork.

“I wanted to show people something different in Pittsburgh,” said Gist, who is a well-known artist across the city who depicts much of the Black experience. Gist also will lead a paint-and-sip event at the Sewickley Juneteenth Celebration on June 22.

Karen Lyons, the community outreach organizer at 412 Justice, brought her 6-year-old grandson. She wanted him to be in the space.

“This is a prideful event, and I am so glad that we continue to have it. I’m proud,” she said. Lyons said her grandson will grow up to be a young Black man. “He comes with me everywhere. He has to see that the fight continues. He has to see strong Black people out here because one day he’ll be representing the next generation.”

Said Lyons: “We have to keep uplifting our people and keep having a seat at the table.”

To keep up with the festivities, click here.