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New Rochelle unveils plaque and commemorative poem honoring enslaved residents
Summary
A plaque and a commemorative poem by Rashawn J. Allen were unveiled in Clinton Park Plaza in downtown New Rochelle during a ceremony that included readings, music and remarks from city and community leaders; RXR and local partners were thanked for their support.
New Rochelle officials and community partners on Saturday unveiled a plaque in Clinton Park Plaza and presented a commemorative poem honoring the city's enslaved residents.
Jared Whitaker, senior vice president of operations for developer RXR, opened the ceremony and described the project as part of a broader effort to "ensure that the full story is told." He said the plaque and the selected poem will have a permanent location outside the building entrance in downtown New Rochelle. "The work is called Unforget by Rashawn J. Allen," Whitaker said during his remarks.
Mayor Yadira Ramos Herbert said the dedication is intended to recognize the generations of Black residents whose labor and culture shaped the city. "The plaque in Clinton Park Plaza is more than a marker," the mayor said. "It's a permanent testament to truth, to reflection, and to progress."
Organizers said the poem was chosen by a committee convened by the Lincoln Park Conservancy. Linda Tarrant Reid, the conservancy's executive director, thanked committee members—named in remarks as Kathy Gillette, Barbara Davis and Angela Davis Farish—and described the Conservancy's role in preserving and sharing New Rochelle's history.
Felicia Villanueva, identified by organizers as Westchester County poet laureate, read a poem she introduced as "speaking up is in the best interest of my ancestors." The ceremony also included an invocation by Bishop Fetson Leek and a musical medley performed by soloist Charles Mack and keyboardist Anne Staley.
Rashawn J. Allen, the poem competition winner selected by the committee, read several original pieces and described researching local history and speaking with residents as part of writing the commemorative work. In one excerpt he recited, "We, a stolen people, live and die on stolen land," lines he said reflect unmarked graves and histories the plaque seeks to acknowledge.
Whitaker also used the ceremony to note community investments by RXR: he said the company is the master developer for 1 & 2 Clinton Park, has added "1,000 new rental apartments" to the community, established a COVID relief fund of "$1,000,000" for New Rochelle and awarded "$100,000" to the Boys & Girls Club. Organizers thanked RXR staff and city personnel for their work producing the dedication.
Following the speeches and readings, organizers invited attendees to adjourn to the plaza for the unveiling and to a reception featuring food from Jolo's Kitchen. They also drew attention to a related exhibit at the New Rochelle Public Library titled "History Restored: Black Entrepreneurship."
