Juneteenth 5K in Central Park Draws Record 1,500 Racers, Organizer Says

A cheerful crowd of walkers, runners, and rollers gathered to partake in a Juneteenth 5K starting at Central Park’s Engineer’s Gate–located at 5th Ave. and E. 90th St.–on June 19.

The first Juneteenth March, as the now-5K is otherwise known, was held in 2020 and organized by dedicated Harlem activists. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Graves ordered the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas. This celebration of the freeing of Black Americans from slavery, which was enshrined as a federal holiday in 2021, began in 1866 and spread along the Great Migration.

Despite the sweltering heat, a diverse crowd of participants didn’t look the slightest bit nervous about their performance as the race neared kick-off time. Instead, they appeared to be reveling in the communal spirit the event provided.

They’d be circling their way north around the Jacquline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, before angling back south to finish adjacent to 85th St. & West Ave. This spot, known as Seneca Village, was founded in 1825 by free Black Americans. According to the march’s organizers, the village once had roughly 225 residents, three churches, two schools, and three cemeteries. It was torn down in 1857, when the city seized the land via eminent domain during the construction of Central Park.

John and Scott, who were lingering near the front of the pack, expressed a desire to both push themselves athletically and support the momentous holiday during Pride Month. “We’ll see how my body holds up. It’d be nice to do it at a pretty nice pace. If we can do it under 25 minutes, I’d say that’s a success,” John told Straus News. “This is the definitely the hottest day of the year so far,” he noted, which might justifiably change things up.

A bit further back was Joshua, who was quite happy that he had managed to bring his friend Alex along. “This is my first official race,” Alex said. “I run casually, just in the park. I wanted to do a race, but nothing too strenuous. I’m not really going for a time, per se.”

Members of Teachers College at Columbia University, such as Tom, were showing out in force as well. “The Teachers College is honored to participate in our first college Juneteenth race,” he said, speaking for the spirited members of his cadre. “Four or five of us, who are really ambitious, went up to the start. We all are the walkers. We have faculty, staff, students, and alumni here.”

John-Martin Green, who was running sound for the race, told Straus News that he’d been helping set up since 8 a.m. Green, who has been involved with the event since the inaugural 2020 march, took pride in “continuing to build” it into something greater. “The first year, we had about 300 people. By last year, we had more than 500 people. Today, we are looking at more than 1,500 people. A lot of people registered by the start of the day.”

In between adjusting the knobs on an amp, Green said that attendees had been very “gracious,” and that the Central Park Conservancy and the NYC Parks Department had been cooperative.

Then a 30-second countdown began, and a swell of eager and joyful New Yorkers rushed forth.