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News Release Date: June 10, 2014 Pinkster was a religious holiday celebrated throughout the Colonial period that was also associated with the coming of spring. Its name is derived from the Dutch word "Pinksteren" which means Pentecost or the Seventh Sunday after Easter. Pinkster was not well observed for most of the 20th Century, but since resuming Pinkster celebrations the 1970s, New Yorkers have held Pinkster festivals in New York and the surrounding areas. Today, Pinkster is recognized as the oldest African-American holiday of the original 13 colonies that became the United States of America. The African influence on Pinkster dates from the 15th Century in the Bantu regions of Congo and Angola. African Burial Ground National Monument and the African American Pinkster Committee of New York (AAPCNY) will hold a commemorative celebration from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, 2014. The celebration, which will take place at the site's outdoor memorial, will feature the pouring of libations, lectures, songs, performances, reading of proclamations, and the laying of flowers on the burial mounds. Additionally, artist Andrew Markus Bell will display his work in the visitor center. |
Last updated: February 26, 2015