PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY MADE AN APPEARANCE AT JUNETEENTH 2023 AT POINT STATE PARK. HE’S PICTURED WITH THE COURIER’S JEFF MARION
In October 2023, the City of Pittsburgh submitted an application with the state of Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to host a Juneteenth celebration at Point State Park, Downtown. The dates the city requested to reserve were Sunday, June 16, 2024, to Saturday, June 22, 2024, the New Pittsburgh Courier has learned.
However, the City of Pittsburgh then withdrew its application to host a Juneteenth celebration at Point State Park.
When exactly did the city withdraw its application?
Olga George, press secretary for Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, told the Courier on Tuesday, May 7, that the city withdrew its application in “January 2024.”
The Courier asked the same question to the DCNR. Its spokesman, Wesley Robinson, told the Courier his records indicated the request by the city to withdraw the Juneteenth application was approved by DCNR on Feb. 29, 2024.
The Courier has also learned exclusively that B. Marshall, the primary promoter of the Stop The Violence Pittsburgh Juneteenth Celebration, which has occurred at Point State Park the last few years, wrote an email on Feb. 22, 2024, to numerous constituents including Mayor Ed Gainey about B. Marshall’s shock that the city had requested to hold its Juneteenth at the Point on and near the same dates as his Juneteenth celebration.
“Since 2013 our organization has supported you in every election and promotion you have advanced, we wanted to see you succeed. We are dumbfounded about this news,” B. Marshall wrote to Mayor Gainey, Feb. 22, 2024.
If the city hadn’t withdrawn its application, B. Marshall confirmed to the Courier that his Juneteenth celebration would not have been able to be held at Point State Park. With the dates reopening, the DCNR granted B. Marshall’s application to host his Juneteenth celebration over three days, June 14-16.
When asked by the Courier why the City of Pittsburgh applied to reserve June 16-22, 2024, at the Point in the first place, George responded: “The City made a request to hold Point State Park last year to ensure the Point would be available for the Juneteenth celebration. The request was released in January not to force any event promoter to design or have to hold an event at the Point.”
Juneteenth, which is known throughout the country as a now-federal holiday that brings people together, seems to be dividing some of the African American community in Pittsburgh, with the news that there could be two “large-scale” Juneteenth celebrations in Pittsburgh; the city’s, and B. Marshall’s.
The talk has dominated parts of social media and email chains in Black Pittsburgh circles.
DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INC., REPRESENTIN’ AT JUNETEENTH, DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH.
On Friday, May 3, two days after the Courier’s story was released informing the public about the city’s desire to host its own Juneteenth celebration and B. Marshall’s Black Music Festival at Point State Park being canceled for 2024, George released a lengthy statement regarding Juneteenth. It read, in full: “When Mayor Ed Gainey came into office, he understood that his administration would be under greater scrutiny than any other administration. He accepted that challenge of accountability and visibility in every aspect since he would be bringing about change to the city that has not been experienced.
“In keeping to that ideal, the administration worked hard to have the City fully embrace the Juneteenth celebration through financial and in-kind support. However, one of the challenges the City faced was having a clear, precise and transparent process of how public funds were being spent.
“So, in keeping with the City’s goals of transparent use of city funds and accountability, the City did use the established procurement process.
“To that end, we established an RFP or Request For Proposal to solicit Juneteenth events and to ensure a visible, clear and open process to request proposals from private event promoters for City funding. This opens the door to all event promoters to provide opportunities to new artists and vendors, which we believe helps to keep a celebration fresh and equitable.
“This process was communicated clearly and directly to all private event promoters last year, in hopes that the City will be able to have a robust Juneteenth celebration.
WOMEN OF ZETA PHI BETA SORORITY INC., LAMBDA LAMBDA ZETA CHAPTER, DURING JUNETEENTH IN PITTSBURGH.
“Juneteenth is an important celebration equaled to the July 4th celebration. And as seen with the Fourth, multiple various celebrations are held. No one individual or organization holds the exclusive license for the 4th Celebration.
“The City’s desire is to have additional, not dueling or competitive events for the Juneteenth celebration. This is an opportunity to uplift more people wanting to celebrate Juneteenth.
“Juneteenth is a celebration of the freedom of Black people from slavery. Let’s recall the joy that was felt that day to create a day of remembrance, honor and celebration for all.”
The Courier has pressed the City of Pittsburgh on exactly what date(s), what location(s) and what events will comprise its Juneteenth celebration. No clear answers have been given as of yet. What is clear is that the city’s Juneteenth celebration won’t happen at Point State Park this year.
B. Marshall’s Juneteenth celebration will be held at the Point this year, from June 14-16. He told the Courier he’s disappointed that the $125,000 the city said in 2023 that it would provide Stop The Violence Pittsburgh for Juneteenth in 2023 and again in 2024 was not honored by the city. While his organization received the funding for Juneteenth from the city in 2023, for this year, 2024, the city has not provided the same financial support.
Is the more the merrier, though? While B. Marshall’s Juneteenth celebration is regarded as “Pittsburgh’s Juneteenth Celebration,” there are other Juneteenth events that occur throughout Allegheny, Beaver and Washington counties, though on a much smaller scale. For the last two years, the borough of Swissvale has held its own Juneteenth celebration, which usually garners at least 600 people throughout the one-day Saturday event. Aliquippa has held its own Juneteenth for the past few years at Lefty Cepull Park. Last year, there was also a Juneteenth festival in Sewickley at the community center, and Mt. Lebanon held a Juneteenth Jubilee.
The City of Pittsburgh contends that it’s perfectly normal for the city to have its own Juneteenth celebration, like some other cities and municipalities. But for some reason, it’s not going over that well with some in Pittsburgh’s Black community.
“It seems that such a positive series of events for Black Pittsburgh and all of Pittsburgh, should not have to continuously run into roadblocks,” voiced Black Political Empowerment Project Chairman and CEO Tim Stevens, in an email chain obtained exclusively by the Courier. “I am also encouraging the city to accept B. Marshall’s organization as the city’s choice for the city’s Juneteenth operations based on his efforts…to bring Juneteenth activities to Pittsburgh, and his ability to produce great results.”
Stevens, in the email chain, added: “I don’t think that it’s a good look for the city’s first Black-led administration to appear to be in any conflict with the person who brought Juneteenth celebrations to Pittsburgh at a whole new level. I strongly feel that there should be honest and earnest efforts on BOTH the part of Mr. Marshall and the Gainey Administration to make all of this work, seamlessly and in a cooperative, positive spirit.”
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