Senate Resolution No. 2265

BY: Senator PARKER

COMMENDING the Brooklyn Children's Museum upon the
occasion of hosting its Juneteenth Gathering on June
19, 2026

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay tribute to those cultural institutions of high purpose and worthy
accomplishment whose enduring commitment to education, joy, and the
celebration of Black history and culture has enriched the civic and
cultural life of the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend the Brooklyn Children's Museum upon the occasion of hosting its
Juneteenth Gathering at Brower Park on Friday, June 19, 2026; and

WHEREAS, Founded in 1899, the Brooklyn Children's Museum is the
first children's museum in the United States and among the oldest in the
world; for more than 125 years, it has served as a place where learning
and life come together, offering children innovative hands-on
exhibitions, daily workshops and programs, and multicultural
performances that cultivate understanding, curiosity, and respect for
the world and for one another; and

WHEREAS, Juneteenth, observed on June 19th, the date in 1865 when
the last enslaved people in the United States learned of their freedom,
is among the most significant cultural and historical observances in the
American calendar, a day of remembrance, celebration, and rededication
to the ongoing work of freedom and justice that the emancipation of
enslaved people began but did not complete; and

WHEREAS, The Brooklyn Children's Museum's Juneteenth Gathering is a
celebration of freedom and Black joy in the fullest sense of those
words: that joy is not merely happiness but a form of resistance, a
declaration that Black life is rich, vibrant, and worth celebrating;
that Black children deserve to see their history honored and their
culture centered; and that the work of liberation is carried forward not
only in protest but also in laughter, music, art, and the simple,
radical act of gathering together in gladness; and

WHEREAS, Crown Heights, where the Brooklyn Children's Museum has
stood for more than a century, is a community whose cultural diversity,
historic depth, and resilient spirit are reflected in the Museum's
programming, and the Juneteenth Gathering affirms the Museum's
commitment to being not merely a neighborhood institution but a true
community anchor; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proudly moved to honor the
Brooklyn Children's Museum, its leadership, staff, and the children and
families who will spread their joy on this Juneteenth, celebrating
freedom, Black excellence, and the living legacy of those who made their
liberation possible; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the Brooklyn Children's Museum, upon the occasion of hosting its
Juneteenth Gathering on June 19, 2026, and to extend heartfelt
congratulations and deepest appreciation for the joy, learning, and
cultural celebration this gathering will bring to the children and
families of Brooklyn; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the leadership and staff of the Brooklyn Children's
Museum in recognition of their steadfast commitment to the cultural
life, education, and joy of Brooklyn's children and communities.