Bridgeport Juneteenth celebration founder celebrates milestone

The founder of the Juneteenth celebration in Bridgeport Friday marked a milestone of the community's observance of that historic day.

News 12 Staff

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Jun 19, 2020, 5:18 PM

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Updated 1,612 days ago

The founder of the Juneteenth celebration in Bridgeport Friday marked a milestone of the community's observance of that historic day.

Cynthia Griffin called the day a milestone in history as she reflected on the Juneteenth parade and the many other community celebrations that owe their existence to her love for Black heritage, and to her commitment to saluting all the meaning behind the pageantry.

"It really means a lot that we are able to show our young folk that we have a history as well," says Griffin.

It's a history that local radio host Wayne Winston says must be seen through a modern-day lens, and one that connects recent events like the death of George Floyd.

"It's like the Fourth of July for us, our independence, so there's not too much confusion, just have a good time and make sure that you honor the people who sacrificed so much, who fought in every war and sacrificed so much and still didn't get what they were supposed to until maybe now," says Winston.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim spoke to the crowd as well, saying, "In solidarity, we're here today to continue our tradition."

Thirty years ago, Griffin read about the holiday commemorating the actual end of slavery in America and thought she must bring the tradition to Bridgeport.

The Juneteenth celebration officially became an annual Bridgeport event back in 1992.