Hudson County Community College Celebrates Juneteenth
July 1, 2024
Members of the HCCC community, faith leaders, and star performers come together to celebrate the newest Federal holiday in style.
July 1, 2024, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College (HCCC) students, faculty, and staff were joined by local community members, religious congregations, and even a Grammy Award-winning artist as the HCCC community celebrated Juneteenth.
Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day, marks the end of slavery in the United States. Celebrated on June 19, the holiday commemorates the 1865 day when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed the state’s African American communities that slavery was abolished. While the holiday has been celebrated within the African American community for years, it wasn’t until 2021 that it finally became a federal holiday when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.
Award-winning saxophonist Lil’ Maceo brought the crowd to its feet at HCCC’s 2024 Juneteenth Celebration.
HCCC officially recognized Juneteenth in 2021, and celebrating the momentous day has quickly grown into a proud HCCC tradition. This year, HCCC welcomed a lineup of prominent guests and speakers including faith leaders Rev. Britney Bethea from the Mount Pigsah AME Church; Dr. Bertha Reels, Reverend of Mt. Olive Baptist Church and the founder of Sarah’s Daughters Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation; Reverend Dorothy Patterson, Pastor of Wallace AME Zion Church; Pastor Rev. Diane Lewis of Trinity Lutheran Church; Mark Hill-Lloyd, minister of Trinity Faith Church of the Living God; and keynote speaker Rev. Thurselle Chisolm-Williams, Pastor-Elect of New Hope Baptist Church, East Orange. These religious leaders were joined by gospel performers from their respective houses of worship and delivered powerful messages of resilience, determination, and hope to a full house. The Kings Daughters of Praise from the Trinity Faith Church of the Living God gave a showstopping dance performance.
These faith leaders were joined by award-winning saxophonist Lil’ Maceo, who treated the audience to an unforgettable performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (also known as the Black National Anthem) and several other stirring numbers. Lil’ Maceo has shared the stage with some of the biggest stars in music, ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Cyndi Lauper, so it was a privilege to watch him perform at HCCC. But perhaps the biggest star he worked with was Prince, so it was only fitting that Lil’ Maceo ended his performance with a stunning rendition of Purple Rain that brought the audience to its feet for a raucous standing ovation.
HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber stated, “This was a fitting way to commemorate the Juneteenth holiday – paying homage to the past, looking forward to the future, and celebrating our community’s diversity as well as the commonalities that unite us all.”