THE STOP THE VIOLENCE PITTSBURGH JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION TOOK OVER POINT STATE PARK AND MARKET SQUARE, JUNE 14-16. FEATURED ARTISTS INCLUDED ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, PICTURED AT RIGHT, AND PICTURED AT LEFT, IT’S THE GROUP BROWNSTONE AND KEKE WYATT. (PHOTOS BY GAIL MANKER AND ROB TAYLOR JR.)
A short rainfall occurred on Friday afternoon, June 14, just when William B. Marshall’s Juneteenth festivities were set to begin at Point State Park, Downtown. But just as the television meteorologists predicted, the rain would soon go away, making way for a weekend that was rain-free and full of African American music, culture and unity in Downtown Pittsburgh.
The annual Stop The Violence Pittsburgh Juneteenth Celebration went off without a hitch, from Friday, June 14, to Sunday evening, June 16, both at Point State Park and Market Square. But seriously, who could miss the super-large Juneteenth stage at the Point, a sight you do not see everyday in that area. Usually, the Point is just a place to walk with friends to the fountain, cool off, maybe chill in the grass, and then eventually walk back to your car.
Not Juneteenth weekend.
RAPPER BEANIE SIGEL, TAKING PICTURES WITH FANS AT POINT STATE PARK, JUNE 14. (PHOTO BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)
The June 14 performers on the Point stage included Hip-Hop artists Freeway, Beanie Sigel and Arrested Development. Arrested Development has been in the game for over 30 years, and closed out the Friday festivities with songs like “Ease My Mind,” “People Everyday” and “Tennessee.”
On Saturday, June 15, the Grand Jubilee Parade marched down Fifth Avenue, Downtown, from its starting point at Freedom Corner in the Hill District. In addition to B. Marshall, there were other dignitaries in the parade like Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, Congresswoman Summer Lee, Hip-Hop icon Master P, and James Henry Harvey III, the retired United States Army Air Corps/United States Air Force officer and member of the Tuskegee Airmen.
More than 100 organizations participated in the parade, which is growing every year, now that the African American Heritage Day Parade is no more in Pittsburgh. Corporate organizations included UPMC, Highmark, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and many more.
The main stage on June 15 (Saturday) was a must-see for R&B lovers. Elle Varner, Brownstone and KeKe Wyatt all took the stage, with Wyatt closing the night. Fans loved her live rendition of “Nothing in this World” and “My First Love,” a hit she made famous with the singer Avant.
On Sunday, June 16, fans were delighted to Rev. Trini Massie and Nikki Porter on the Gospel front, and R&B star Stokley, who was lead singer of the group Mint Condition.
“We are extremely happy to report that this year we again hosted the largest Juneteenth Celebration in Pennsylvania,” B. Marshall said in an email to supporters and the New Pittsburgh Courier on June 25. “We are excited for and looking forward to 2025.”
On radio interviews, Marshall said he believed some 60 to 70 thousand people attended the three-day celebration, Downtown.For Maisha Howze, it was her first time marching in the Grand Jubilee Juneteenth Parade. She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. “I felt just a true jubilee of all of us Black folks being together and the positive spirit that was flowing through. It was a great experience,” she told the Courier.
Howze said that sisterhood is one of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s principles. “To have all of us come together and be able to support this initiative, all the women of the Divine Nine, all of us there to lean on each other is what we need. Sisterhood and service is big for us. And being out there was of service to the community.”
Howze returned on Sunday, June 15, to see Rev. Trini Massie and Nikki Porter. Reverend Massie is Minister of Worship at Mt. Ararat Baptist Church in Larimer. Porter is Minister of Music at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Liberty. Howze called their performances “amazing.”
“Juneteenth was amazing,” said Tyian Battle, founder of ACH Clear Pathways, in the Hill District, who attended the June 16 festivities. “It brought a lot of people out in the Pittsburgh region to fellowship and be amongst one another for the culture.”
Brandi Anderson-Cherry, the proud Beltzhoover resident, enjoyed Juneteenth, especially the parade. “It was lovely,” she told the Courier. “You could feel the energy, everybody was happy. We celebrated Juneteenth in a good way.”
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS/COVERAGE OF JUNETEENTH 2024 AT POINT STATE PARK BELOW…
KEKE WYATT PERFORMS…(PHOTO BY GAIL MANKER)
R&B GROUP BROWNSTONE PERFORMS…(PHOTO BY GAIL MANKER)
Upsilon Eta Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. (PHOTO BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)
HIP-HOP ICON MASTER P, CENTER, MARCHES IN THE GRAND JUBILEE JUNETEENTH PARADE, JUNE 15. (PHOTO BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)
CHIEF IKHANA, BRANDI ANDERSON-CHERRY, MAYOR ED GAINEY, CONGRESSWOMAN SUMMER LEE
R&B STAR STOKLEY, SECOND FROM LEFT, WITH PITTSBURGH FANS AT JUNETEENTH 2024.
CHAYLA FOWLER, WITH DAUGHTER, TRINITY FOUNTAIN, ENJOYING JUNETEENTH…
SING ALONG!
THEY’VE GOT THE FRONT ROW SEAT…
About Post Author
