About

In 2010, long-time Staten Island residents and community advocates—Marjorie Garvin, the late Fred Davis, the late Al Peters, Vernon “Dyverse” Wooten, and Minnie Graham—began meeting weekly at 180 Park Hill Avenue after an unsuccessful attempt to form the North Shore Coalition. Their shared mission was to strategize and undertake the difficult work of coalition-building to address the inequities in economic, political, educational, health, and social opportunities that affected their community.

That September, in response to disheartening events that had occurred earlier in the month, Marjorie Garvin enlisted the help of committee member Minnie Graham to coordinate the very first Staten Island Black Heritage Family Day. The group unanimously agreed that Heritage Day would serve as the cornerstone of their coalition-building efforts.

In late October 2010, the first planning meeting was held at the office of Empowerment Zone Inc., located at 180 Park Hill Avenue. The vision was clear: Family Day would not simply be another community gathering, but a celebration of the vast and diverse cultures of people whose roots trace back to the continent of Africa. The mission statement proclaimed:

“Staten Island Black Heritage Family Day honors the vast and diverse cultures of people that originated from the continent of Africa. We celebrate our diversity derived from the common experience that placed us in different lands throughout the world.”

Thus, Family Day was established as a day for all to celebrate shared heritage and collective diversity.

On Saturday, September 17, 2011, history was made when the first Staten Island Black Heritage Family Day took place. Supported by local politicians, churches, nearly 60 community organizations, and Black-owned businesses, the People’s Parade and We Are Family Festival quickly became cherished annual traditions. In recognition of its significance, former Borough President James Molinaro issued a proclamation declaring the third Saturday of September as Staten Island Black Heritage Family Day.

Since its inception, Staten Island Black Heritage has expanded its programming with cornerstone events that enrich the borough’s cultural and civic life. Two major fundraisers quickly became annual highlights:

• Families Against Violence (FAV) Basketball Classic (April), the largest anti-violence event on Staten Island.
• Smooth Sounds by the Sea (July), held at the picturesque Alice Austen House, honoring the contributions of people of African descent to R&B and Jazz music.

In 2018, the Red, Black & Green Ball was added, celebrating the Pan-African flag—a powerful symbol of Black pride and liberation. Since then, programming has grown to include the Annual Black Solidarity Day, the Veterans Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony at Corporal Thomas Park, and the MLK Leadership Brunch.

Today, Staten Island Black Heritage remains a sentinel of Black history and culture—summoning the collective conscience of the community to remain vigilant, to honor its heritage, and to continue striving for progress. True to its founding spirit, it carries forward the ever-relevant truth: “The struggle continues.”