Catalog ID:
ORH-001-0003
Creator:
Griffin, Cynthia
Archives Field 21:
AUDIO: Click to Play
Scope & Content:
Oral history interview with Cynthia Howard Griffin
Cynthia Griffin is the founder of Bridgeport's Juneteenth Parade and the Fairfield County Juneteenth Celebration. She was born in Baltimore and lived in North Carolina, but eventually made her way to Bridgeport where her father lived. She worked for 11 years at Remington Arms. Eventually, she went to school to become a beautician and worked for several years as a nail artist.
While working in the nail salon, she read some magazine articles about the Hartford Athenaeum and a Juneteenth Celebration. She then started to form a Bridgeport based Juneteenth celebration, educating others on the holiday and gathering supporters and volunteers. There were many Bridgeport based Juneteenth parades with routes varying by year. Eventually, a colleague expanded the commemoration out to include towns across Fairfield County. In 2023, there were over 80 groups participating when the parade was held in Seaside Park.
Cynthia Griffin is the founder of Bridgeport's Juneteenth Parade and the Fairfield County Juneteenth Celebration. She was born in Baltimore and lived in North Carolina, but eventually made her way to Bridgeport where her father lived. She worked for 11 years at Remington Arms. Eventually, she went to school to become a beautician and worked for several years as a nail artist.
While working in the nail salon, she read some magazine articles about the Hartford Athenaeum and a Juneteenth Celebration. She then started to form a Bridgeport based Juneteenth celebration, educating others on the holiday and gathering supporters and volunteers. There were many Bridgeport based Juneteenth parades with routes varying by year. Eventually, a colleague expanded the commemoration out to include towns across Fairfield County. In 2023, there were over 80 groups participating when the parade was held in Seaside Park.
Interviewer:
Smith, Michelle Black
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