Hoboken Celebrates Third Annual Juneteenth Unity Picnic

Hoboken residents and friends gathered to celebrate Juneteenth during the third annual Hoboken Juneteenth Unity Picnic on Thursday, June 19. 

Normally an outdoor event that was to take place at Pier A Park on Sinatra Drive, the event  was moved indoors at Hoboken High School on Clinton St. due to on and off again rain. 

The Hoboken Juneteenth Unity Picnic first began in 2023 by lifelong Hoboken resident Shakera Frazier-Rosa. 

“When I was looking into Black history in Hoboken, I felt like there hasn’t been a lot of visibility for us and I noticed that there wasn’t a Juneteenth celebration ever recorded in the town’s history,” says Frazier-Rosa. “It has to start somewhere, so I figured why not me. So I put out the word that we would have a picnic and people could bring their own baskets.”

The first year of the Juneteenth Unity Picnic was a smaller affair with only face painting lawn games. Last year saw the numbers doubled and continued to do so this year.

“We have more vendors and more community involvement this year,” says Frazier-Rosa. “While the rain was a bit of a letdown, I did not want to stop since people were looking forward to this so we made the best out of a bad situation to come together and celebrate.”

The indoor picnic event saw baked goods being served as well as art stations for kids, including rock painting and a coloring table. There were also indoor sports such as soccer and basketball.

The event didn’t just see lifelong Hoboken residents attending, but also those with ties to the community. 

“Juneteenth has more than one meaning for me because it’s also my granddaughter’s birthday,” says Mario Alexander of Jersey City, who came to celebrate the event with his wife, who grew up in Hoboken. “Seeing everyone here shows that this is a day about togetherness. It’s about all people coming together as one. I think some people misunderstand that at times. It’s not for just one race, but for all of us.” 

Unity seemed to be the topic of the day for most residents who were in attendance to celebrate the federal holiday.

“I’m happy to see that this is a day that is being celebrated,” says Melody Ferguson, a lifelong Hoboken resident who has attended all three Hoboken Juneteenth Unity Picnics. “There’s unity and community in this and I feel it’s important for those who were born and raised here. As a lifelong resident myself, I feel like there aren’t many events here for us. To see this return it’s only getting better each year.”

While Juneteenth was celebrated as far back as the 1890’s, it wasn’t recognized as a federal holiday until 2021 when it was announced by former President Joe Biden. 

Juneteenth is the celebration of the emancipation of African Americans, which took place on June 19, 1865. The day is also celebrated as Black Independence Day, Jubilee Day, and Emancipation Day in Texas, where the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation was first enforced.