BINGHAMTON (WBNG) — The Binghamton Juneteenth Committee held its yearly flag raising at Binghamton City Hall Friday.
The ceremony included speakers like State Senator Lea Webb, Binghamton City Council Majority Leader Kinya Middleton and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo. The three of them discussed the importance of Juneteenth.
The federal holiday celebrates the final slaves who were freed in Galveston, Texas, two years after the end of the American Civil War, when Union generals notified them about their freedom.
Senator Webb, who formerly served on the city council, spoke about the tradition of the flag-raising in Binghamton.
“Celebrating Juneteenth right here in the City of Binghamton in Broome County; there was a time in which we didn’t even have a flag raising for Juneteenth,” Webb said. “I’m proud to say that when I was here on the City Council, that’s when we started doing flag raisings right here at City Hall to commemorate the contributions of African Americans, not only in the City of Binghamton, not only in Broome County but this state in this country.”
The Juneteenth Committee is holding its celebration event on June 22. For more information, follow this link.
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