Dozens came to the New Jersey Law Center on June 16 to commemorate the end of chattel slavery in the United States. Leonard V. Jones, second vice chair of the Minorities in the Profession Section, served as the master of ceremonies for a series of speeches and musical numbers.
The ceremony was highlighted by a riveting address from keynote speaker Raymond M. Brown, a prominent civil and criminal litigator.
Brown reminded the audience that even though Juneteenth traces its roots to 1865, it only became a federal holiday after the murder of George Floyd and the nationwide protests against police brutality.
“It was the upswell of emotion and the feeling of injustice from many people of many colors across the country,” Brown said.