There's a new permanent marker in downtown New Rochelle aimed at honoring the city's rich Black history and culture.

The plaque is located outside at Two Clinton Park.

It's significant, not only for New Rochelle but also Rashaun Allen.

"It really speaks to the community and sort of, what's important," says Allen.

He's the one who wrote the poem on the plaque, it's called "Unforget."

It serves as a powerful beacon to honor the lives, legacies and stories of the African American community in this city.

"When I came across this opportunity to kind of honor folks who were previously enslaved here in New Rochelle, I was like here's an opportunity where I can be a voice. I know the mixed feelings I had about uncovering that and I was like, I have to try to do this," Allen tells News 12. Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert says this is a vital part of New Rochelle history.

"It is a story that cannot be told without acknowledging the generations of black residents who shaped the city, whose labor unpaid often, contribution and culture left an undeniable mark on who we are today," Ramos-Herbert explains.

The unveiling of the plaque fell on the last day of Black History Month.

While the month comes to an end, this message won't.

That's because Ramos-Herbert says the plaque is more than just a marker, it's a permanent testament.

"To truth, to reflection, to progress.," says Ramos-Herbert.