PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield’s Juneteenth celebration at Durant Park came at an interesting time for Cristiane Richardson — a day after she voted for the first time ever.
Sunday’s celebration, hosted by the Berkshire County branch of the NAACP, was held in advance of the federal holiday acknowledging the liberation of American slaves on June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers announced the freedom of nearly 250,000 slaves in the state of Texas by executive decree over two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Richardson, 19, said that the timing was fitting. When she went to the ballot box on Saturday in Albany, N.Y., where she’s a resident, she was already reflecting on Black history and the significance of her vote.