Crossroads of Rockland History: Lawrence-Tonetti Waterfall
06/16/2025
This month, "Crossroads" revisited an earlier interview with Virginia Norfleet, founder of the Haverstraw African American Connection (HAAC), an organization that sponsors the annual Haverstraw Juneteenth Celebration.
Norfleet was also instrumental in the founding of the African American Memorial Park in Haverstraw. She is the 2019 recipient of the HSRC’s Margaret B. and John R. Zehner Award for contributions to the county's history.
The 2025 Juneteenth celebration in Haverstraw will take place over three days: June 19, 20 and 21.
Learn more about this years events and programs here: https://www.thehaac.com/juneteenth
Juneteenth is a holiday observed annually on June 19. It commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. A combination of the words June and nineteenth, the holiday, also called Freedom Day, has been celebrated since 1866 and is considered one of the oldest continuing African American holidays.
Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865, announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas and, more generally, the emancipation of enslaved African American people throughout the former Confederacy of the southern United States. The announcement came two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery.
On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
The mission of the Haverstraw African American Connection is to research, recover, preserve and teach the rich culture and contributions of African American’s with emphasis on the African American people of Haverstraw N.Y.
H.A.A.C is a Non-Profit 501c3 agency. Through public outreach, dialogue, exhibits and other community initiatives, we will promote knowledge, acceptance and appreciation of our heritage.
New episodes of the "Crossroads of Rockland History" podcast, a program of the Historical Society of Rockland County, premier at www.RocklandHistory.org on the third Monday of each month. Join host Clare Sheridan as we explore, celebrate, and learn about our local history, with different topics and guest speakers. Our recorded broadcasts are also available for streaming on all major podcasts platforms.
The Historical Society of Rockland County is a nonprofit educational institution and principal repository for original documents and artifacts relating to Rockland County. Its headquarters are a four-acre site featuring a history museum and the 1832 Jacob Blauvelt House in New City, New York.