Even amid rain showers, the Masjid Malcolm Shabazz mosque celebrated its 32nd annual Juneteenth event on Saturday, June 14.
Juneteenth is now a federally recognized holiday honoring when the last enslaved Africans were freed in Galveston, Texas in 1865. While being celebrated in the state for many years among Black communities and growing in prominence throughout the 1980s and 1990s, it wasn’t until 2021 when it was made a New York state holiday as well as recognized federally by then President Joe Biden.
The Masjid Malcolm Shabazz Mosque has organized the longest-running celebration of the holiday since 1993 with their annual parade. This year’s spectacle, unhindered by the weather, began on 116th St. and Lenox/Malcolm X Blvd and ran west to St. Nicholas Ave, then uptown to 125th St. before going east and back down. It featured a total of 13 floats as Harlem community members stopped to watch and cheer on.
Some of the participants were local youth community service organizations like Street Corner Resources, Woodycrest Center for Human Development Inc., and SCAN-Harbor, as well as Hip Hop Worship, L&M Development Partners, Ruff Ryders, Inc., Popeyes, and Dunkin’ Donuts. There were ten grand marshals, including New York State Sen. for District 30 and longtime participant in the parade, Cordell Cleare.
“We come from a time when hardly anybody knew what Juneteenth was,” Cleare told the AmNews, pointing out how many are aware of what the holiday is today. “We are the keepers of our culture, and I am happy that Masjid Malcolm Shabazz has been steadfast in that and has been consistent and been a safe place for us to grow and to spread and to become what it is today.”
Bill Moore photos
Juneteenth committee members and grand marshals posing together. (L-R): Juneteenth Committee member Daleel Jabir Muhammad; actor Ralph Carter; educator Ganeen Dean; AmNews Managing Editor Kristin Fayne-Mulroy; environmental justice advocate Peggy Shepard; social justice advocate Dr. Leroy Gadsden; Juneteenth committee member community leader Brother Charles Asukile Mitchell; spiritual leader Leman Jake McGhee. Not pictured: MC Rodney C; baker and proprietor of Lee Lee’s Baked Goods, Alvin Lee Smalls. (Bill Moore photo) 
Panamanian steel band performing in the rain between Lenox and 5th Avenue on 116th Street. June 14, 2025. (Jason Ponterotto photo) 
Sen. Cleare providing Ralph Carter with his award for his career of art and service during the ceremony. June 14, 2025. (Jason Ponterotto photo) 
Street Corner Resources, a Harlem nonprofit that works to combat gun violence and provide professional development opportunities for young people. June 14, 2025. (Jason Ponterotto photo) 
Ruff Ryders, Inc. a hip-hop record label had several artists represented during the ceremony. June 14, 2025. (Jason Ponterotto photo)
The day of celebration continued with an award ceremony and up to 45 street vendors on 116th St between Lenox and 5th Avenue, 20 health and community service providers, a marching band, and a steel band that performed. Honorees included Cleare, “Good Times” actor Ralph Carter, longtime environmental justice executive Peggy Shepard, educators Dr. Leroy Gadsden, Charles Azukile Mitchell, and Ganeen Regina Dean, Harlem baker Alvin Lee Smalls, Community Council President Leman Jake McGhee, and AmNews Managing Editor Kristin Fayne-Mulroy.
In her address during the ceremony, Cleare gave credit to the Mosque.
“Not only did they celebrate [Juneteenth], but they called for a holiday all those years, the one voice that was out there all those years. And it took tragedy and shame after the murder of George Floyd for this state to say, ‘Okay, we’re going to make this a holiday.’ But you should know that we have been fighting for 32 years,” she said.
Ralph Carter, award-winning Broadway child actor and Brooklynite, gave tribute to his “Good Times” castmates and thanked the Juneteenth committee for the award.
Another honoree, Charles Azukile Mitchell, also from Brooklyn, is a longtime member of the Sons of Africa brotherhood, established at City College of New York by former chair of the Africana Studies Department Dr. Leonard Jeffries and Dr. James Small to help mentor young Black men. Mitchell gave credit to Ralph Carter, whom he said would come and help lead some of the young men at the Child Development Center.
“It’s an honor to be honored on one of these days that we have chosen to take as our own, to acknowledge our ancestors that came out of that tradition where they were denied,” Mitchell said. “Malcolm spoke on these streets, and so it’s especially important and an honor for me to be acknowledged by the folks who continue the legacy.”
Following the ceremony, there were several musical performances from local artists such as rapper Arnstar and the Hip Hop Worship Gathering, a collective of gospel hip-hop artists from around the country. There was also a dance class, a drill performance, and spoken word.
One of the gospel artists, Amari Grace, is originally from New York but came up from Florida and was grateful to both perform and ride on the float. She says the rain made the experience better.
“Being in Harlem, participating in the Juneteenth parade culturally made my heart swell with pride,” Grace said. “Initially, I felt like the rain was a bummer, but to see people still out and to see everybody celebrating and enjoying one another regardless of color was amazing.”
Cleare, who had just arrived in Harlem after a session in Albany the day before, received a special surprise proclamation for her longtime community leadership.
As early voting has begun for the NYC Mayoral election, Cleare addressed concerns of Harlem community members and says she continues to give them a forum to voice their issues while making sure they are informed and educated on why they should still vote despite feeling unseen.
“There are people who feel marginalized, who feel invisible, who feel uncared for … so it’s important to recognize people who say ‘We see you.’ And in this election period, it’s important for voters to vote for the people that see you.”