Juneteenth Commemoration
New York first designated Juneteenth as an official state holiday on June 19, 2021. Juneteenth (short for June 19th) commemorates African American freedom in our country. Its history goes back to June 19, 1865, when Union Army General Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, TX, that declared all enslaved people in Texas were free. While President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation a full two and a half years earlier and Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee had surrendered in the spring, signaling the end of the war, it wasn't until the federal orders reached Galveston that enslaved people in Texas knew they were free.
Some families remained in the southern states they called home and built thriving communities. Others were part of the Great Migration from the American South to northern, midwestern, and western states, and some made New York their home and built strong communities here, including the historic Rapp Road community in the Pine Bush area near Crossgates Mall in Albany.
DEC recognizes the continued struggle and delayed liberation some communities continue to face, including the movement for environmental and climate justice in New York State. We support the spirit of Juneteenth every day with our commitment to equity and justice. Some examples of DEC's work include:
- Ensuring all New Yorkers and visitors have the freedom to access, enjoy, and feel welcome on State lands;
- Providing competitive Community Impact Grants that empower communities to develop and implement solutions to environmental justice issues;
- Facilitating the work of the Climate Justice Working Group - composed of representatives from environmental justice communities statewide - in developing the criteria for identifying disadvantaged communities and ensuring these populations receive at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of investments from both the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act.
- Undertaking a statewide community air quality monitoring effort in 10 disadvantaged communities that are home to an estimated five million New Yorkers. After a year of study, DEC's Division of Air Resources is embarking on work with communities to develop mitigation strategies to improve air quality for these areas long overburdened by environmental pollution.
This Juneteenth, we continue to advance environmental and climate justice. The freedom to enjoy a clean and safe environment is important to every New Yorker, and we will continue to work to bring equity and justice to historically overburdened communities.
Celebrate Juneteenth in Your Community
Each year, be sure to check out Juneteenth events around the state and help commemorate the independence and liberty achieved more than 150 years ago and the fight for freedom still underway today (links leave DEC website):
Juneteenth 2024 Events & Parties In New York | AllEvents.in | NYC events
Upcoming Juneteenth 2024 Events in Albany, NY (happeningnext.com)
Hamilton Hill Arts Center - Schenectady
More About DEC’s Community Air Monitoring Initiative
DEC’s statewide air monitoring initiative collected block-level air pollution data using mobile mapping technology and professional analytics from Aclima with a goal of identifying sources of air pollution within 10 disadvantaged communities across New York State identified as having a disproportionate air pollution burden and to develop strategies to reduce that pollution. The 10 communities include Buffalo/Niagara Falls/Tonawanda, Capital Region, Bronx, Manhattan, Rochester, Syracuse, Mount Vernon/Yonkers/New Rochelle, Brooklyn, Queens, and Hempstead/New Cassel/Roosevelt/Uniondale/Westbury.
Now that the data collection is complete, DEC is working to verify and validate the preliminary data and finalize a report that will be shared with the public. All information, including community input, mobile monitoring data, and other air monitoring and emissions data, will be used to inform pollutant reduction strategies. DEC continues to engage local elected leaders, community-based organizations, and interested citizens to encourage public collaboration throughout this initiative. To share feedback and recommendations on reduction strategies, please join your local community advisory committees.
For more information about DEC’s Community Air Monitoring Initiative or questions about advisory committees, visit our Statewide Community Air Monitoring Initiative webpage.
DEC's website content is available in English, Spanish, and 11 additional languages. At the bottom of every webpage, you can find the translation section. Each language link will bring you to a mirror of DEC's website translated into the selected language.
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