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The Greeks and Romans had many carnivalesque festivals, including the Dionysian festivals and Saturnalia respectively. With the influence of Christianity, these festivals were limited to the period taking place before Lenten.
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Carnival, the Caribbean's most renowned and enjoyed time of year, has a deep history mixed with tradition and culture. Here, we will look at the early history of the Trinidad Carnival as well as the history of the Brooklyn Carnival.
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An edict called "Cedula de Población" is issued by the King of Spain in order to encourage migration to Trinidad and Tobago. With the influx of migrants during this time period, modern day carnival is based on the influence of French planters and African slaves.
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Many African carnivalesque activities could be found throughout the West Indies.
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With the emancipation of African slaves came the reorganization of Carnival. The event now celebrated their freedom by reenacting Canboulay (which is often seen as a precursor to modern-day Carnival).
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The Canboulay Riots take place in Trinidad and Tobago. After this, carnival becomes noticeably orderly (and restrained).
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Carnival becomes much more socially active. Drumming, dressing, and even calypso music evolve into social critiques.
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The first overseas carnival takes place in Harlem in New York City. These indoor celebrations took place during the traditional, pre-Lenten period (in February and March) and had the goal of soothing a nostalgia for the Caribbean.
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A community leader and activist by the name of Jesse Waddell obtains the first street permit, taking Carnival from indoor costume parties to a parading of the streets of Harlem. This parade becomes the West Indies Day Parade.
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The earliest known Carnival street parade is held in Harlem. Its route was relatively short taking it from 110th or 111th Street to 142nd Street via Seventh Avenue.
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The Harlem Carnival reaches its peak in attendance with 250,000 people attending. In later years, a steady decline occurs, possibly due to the sizable number of West Indians moving to Brooklyn.
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The first record of substantial violence at Carnival is recorded.
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Jesse Jackson makes a (rather infamous) speech at the Carnival. According to multiple sources, his speech ignored the West Indian nature of the audience and treated the event as a “black event.” This served to highlight tensions between West Indians and African Americans
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The WIADCA/Labor Day Carnival boasts millions of people in attendance and is a truly colorful expression of Caribbean pride and heritage.