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Nottinghill Carnival , Nottinghill, London 1999 ph. by Liz Johnson .

In anticipation of the (now virtual) New York Caribbean Week and the annual Labor Day Parade, this August we’re highlighting artworks in the Museum’s collection that celebrate the presence of Caribbean culture and its diasporas.

New York’s annual Labor Day Parade, also known as the West Indian Day Parade, originated in Harlem with Trinidadian Jessie Waddell, in the 1930’s. In homage to Trinidad’s annual Carnival, Waddell hosted costume parties amongst friends in landmark enclaves, like the Savoy and Audubon Ballrooms, which progressed into a street parade in Harlem in 1947. In 1969, the parade relocated to Brooklyn, under the direction of the late Carlos Lezama (aka “The Father of Brooklyn Carnival”) where it has resided ever since. Participation in the parade is both a rite of passage and an extension of lineage, as a span of all generations flock to indulge in the conducted chaos, as seen in Catherine Green’s images. Green captures the essence of tradition and the nuance of evolution as themes of cultural pride and extravagance meet ancestral reverence and sacredness. 

Thierry Mugler Spring 1998