Gov. Hochul marks Juneteenth by granting $16M to apply NYS Commission on African-American History’s findings
ALBANY — MOVING FORWARD FROM HER OBSERVANCE AND PROCLAMATION on Juneteenth, Governor Kathy Hochul, on Wednesday, June 19, released the final report from the New York State Commission on African American History and announced $16 million to support the development and implementation of recommendations from the report. The first-of-its-kind report details the commission’s policy recommendations for investment in key areas such as education, community and economic development, arts and culture, and more. The report’s goal is to commemorate overlooked achievements from the past and offer actions that the State can advance to counterbalance historic disparities in the Black community. Governor Hochul has already taken several steps to advance the commission’s recommendations, among them: signing legislation to continue New York’s leadership on racial equity by creating a new commission to study reparations and racial justice and launching a funded Black Leadership Institute at the State University of New York (SUNY) to attract, support, retain, and foster the success of emerging and current African American and Black leaders within the SUNY educational system.
Over the next two years, Governor Hochul will use this funding to advance recommendations made by the commission in observance of the 400th anniversary (in 2026) of the arrival of 11 captured Africans brought to New Amsterdam for purchase in New York State.
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