Celebrating Juneteenth & Caribbean Americans

Caribbean Heritage:

Since legislation was passed in June 2006, June has been the official month to recognize the rich and vibrant culture of Caribbean Americans. Today, millions in the U.S. continue to be connected to family and history in the Caribbean islands, and it is important for all of us at NYCHA to appreciate our neighbors, friends, and colleagues who are part of this community.

Caribbean Region:

The Caribbean is a region that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands, and the surrounding coasts southeast of North America. Countries considered to be part of the Caribbean include Antiqua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago (though this is not an exclusive list). Approximately 90 percent of Caribbean Americans come from these five countries: Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Caribbean People:

The Caribbean is also a major source of Black immigration to the United States, making up various ethnicities and races because of the slave trade and comprising of six main groups:

• Afro-Caribbeans: descendants of enslaved Africans
• Hispanic/Latino: descendants of Spanish-speaking Caribbeans who are a mixture of Spaniards, West Africans, indigenous peoples, and Europeans
• Indo-Caribbeans: descendants of Indian indentured laborers
• White Caribbean: descendants of European colonizers and some indentured workers
• Chinese Caribbean: descendants of Chinese immigrants and some indentured workers
• Indigenous Caribbeans: descendants of the indigenous people of the Caribbean (mainly from the Taino tribe)

Caribbean Americans have made invaluable contributions, from America’s first founding father Alexander Hamilton (who was from the island of Nevis), to current notable public servants like Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor (of Puerto Rican descent) and Vice President Kamala Harris (who has Jamaican roots), to the legendary musician Bob Marley, and many others. 

Juneteenth:

This month we are also celebrating Juneteenth, which is celebrated on Wednesday, June 19 this year. This holiday recognizes the emancipation of enslaved Africans in the United States. While President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation declaring freedom for all slaves, its reach was limited because many places around the country were still under Confederate control. As a result, slaves were not free until much later. In one region in western Texas, official news arrived on June 19, 1865, when 2,000 federal troops marched to Galveston Bay, Texas, with an announcement that all enslaved people were now free. This day came to be known as “Juneteenth” and, in 2021, President Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday.

There are many ways to celebrate Juneteenth. You can wear traditional colors of red, green, and black. You can also participate in community service activities, including joining a voter registration drive, or promoting social media awareness using hashtags like #NYCHAEEcelebratesJuneteenth; #JuneteenthNYCHAEE; or #Theshacklesareoff; #Knowjuneteenthhistory

Comments or concerns?

NYCHA’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) is available to discuss any issues or concerns if any employee feels that they are being targeted or treated based on their race, color, national origin, or any other Equal Employment Opportunity-protected categories. Please contact our office at 212-306-4468 or odei@nycha.nyc.gov to get assistance from one of our staff members.