Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, holds tremendous significance in American history. On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued. Today, Juneteenth serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring struggle for equality and justice. In the spirit of honoring this momentous occasion, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in the City of Perth Amboy hosted an extraordinary celebration on Monday, June 19. Below you can see and hear some of the festivities as we pay tribute to the past, celebrate the present, and embrace a future filled with unity and progress.
Grave of the Unknowns
The Rev. Dr. Sally J. French, Bishop-Elect, prays at a cemetery marker dedicated to enslaved persons whose names were unknown, in the churchyard of St. Peter’s Perth Amboy. Part of the Perth Amboy Juneteenth commemoration co-sponsored by St. Peter’s, the NAACP, NJISJ, and the City of Perth Amboy.
Launch of the NJ Reparations Council
Ryan P. Haygood, Esq., President & CEO of NJ Institute for Social Justice, announces the launch of the NJ Reparations Council at a Juneteenth event held at the historic Ferry Slip in Perth Amboy, site where many enslaved Africans made landfall for the first time in America.
Sen. Corey Booker's Juneteenth Speech
Senator Corey Booker, (D-NJ), speaks at a Juneteenth gathering in the historic Ferry Slip in Perth Amboy, site where many enslaved Africans first entered America.
Juneteenth: "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing"
The choir of St. Peter’s Perth Amboy sings “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” at a Juneteenth 2023 observance.
Image Gallery
The Rev. Dr. Sally J. French, Bishop-Elect, prays at the Grave of the Unknonwns
Marker at the Grave of the Unknowns
St. Peter's Perth Amboy churchyard
Grave of the Unknowns, St. Peter's Perth Amboy
Bishop-Elect French and Bishop Stokes listen to a Juneteenth musical performance at St. Peter's Perth Amboy
The historic Perth Amboy Ferry Slip, site of the first landing of many enslaved Africans brought to America
The raising of the Juneteenth flag in Perth Amboy
