North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Town Council Member Viviana Russell, and members of the town board recently celebrated Black History Month at the “Yes We Can” Community Center on Feb. 6.
The theme of this year’s event was “African Americans and the Vote,” celebrating the centennial of the 19th Amendment, the women’s suffrage movement, and the 150 years since the ratification of the 15th Amendment that allowed African American men to vote after the Civil War.
“Black History Month is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to learn about and celebrate the contributions of African Americans to our society,” Bosworth said. “This year’s theme of ‘African Americans and the Vote’ allows us to reflect on our history and our country’s movement in the fight for civil rights and equality. I am proud to be able to honor the extraordinary and influential leaders who made this possible, and we are exceedingly fortunate here in the Town of North Hempstead to have some of those leaders living and working in our communities.”
“Black History Month is not only a time to reflect on the struggles and accomplishments of the past but also an opportunity to identify where we can do better in the present,” Russell said. “I’m so very proud of our Work Force Housing initiatives, and looking forward to growing and developing our Work Force Development Initiative, that coupled with making sure everyone is counted in the impending 2020 Census, we have some powerful tools to assist in closing the gap in some of the racial inequities we experience here on Long Island. We’ve come so far from being able to vote but we still have so much more work to do.”
The event featured a cocktail hour with refreshments provided by Pleasures Pot of Westbury, entertainment from the Salvation Army Brass Band, First Baptist Cathedral of Westbury Youth Choir, Sankofa Dance Troupe, Drummer Citi Hampton, Poet Donna Felton and performances from the “Yes We Can” Kids. This year’s keynote address was given by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
In addition, Supervisor Bosworth and the Town Board honored individuals who have made an impact on the fight for minority voting rights. This year’s honorees were Lemuel Brabham, Frederick K. Brewington, Jerry Gross, Julia Shields, and Jahshua Taylor.
Submitted by the Town of North Hempstead
(Photos courtesy of the Town of North Hempstead)
