Where’s the money? Community leaders speak out on the missing $125,000 for B. Marshall’s Juneteenth celebration

DR. JAMES JOHNSON, co-founder of the Afro-American Music Institute, in Homewood, addresses the controversy surrounding Juneteenth payments during a news conference, Aug. 14. (Photo by Rob Taylor Jr.)When “Dr. J,” James Johnson, co-founder of the esteemed Afro-American Music Institute in Homewood, speaks, people listen.When Tim Stevens, the decades-long community activist and leader of the Black Political Empowerment Project, speaks, people listen.Collectively, they are “angry as all-get-out” about the fact that as of Aug. 20, 2024, the City of Pittsburgh has not paid the $125,000 to B. Marshall’s 2024 Juneteenth celebration, even when Pittsburgh City Council voted in June to award B. Marshall and the POISE Foundation the money.However, the City of Pittsburgh practically raced to the bank to pay $125,000 to Bounce Marketing and Events, the company that put on the city-sponsored Juneteenth celebration (Fusion Fest). The check, the New Pittsburgh Courier has learned, was “cut” to the company on June 27, two days before the June 29 “Fusion Fest” Juneteenth event occurred.“We have been there from Day 1 supporting (B. Marshall),” voiced Dr. Johnson, during a news conference, Aug. 14, outside City Council chambers, Downtown. “He’s bringing this city together with different ethnic groups, the White community, and letting...