On Thursday, the Rev. Al Sharpton convened what he billed as a historic meeting of New York’s top Black elected officials — which is also to say a meeting of New York’s top elected officials.

Blacks occupy nearly every position of major political influence in New York, from mayor to state attorney general to the state’s two legislative leaders. And on Thursday they sought to get on the same page regarding the issue of public safety.

“Never before in the history of this state have we seen so many of our top officials come from the Black community. And it was our idea that we would have those officials sit and discuss public safety,” Sharpton told the media after the private 90 minute meeting.

This year “will be the year we show this nation how to govern,” he said. “And how to govern by people that have been left out of the governing for many years, and are now in key positions. We may be on different hymns, but we’re in the same hymn book. And we’re going to sing together this year.”

Public safety was a divisive issue during last year’s midterm elections, one that Republicans used to their advantage but also one that created rifts among Democrats. Mayor Eric Adams’ tough-on-crime approach and his push to roll back the state’s bail reform laws put him at odds with state leaders like Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, of the Bronx.

But while participants spoke broadly about the need to achieve both criminal justice reforms and public safety, they offered no specifics on policy, instead emphasizing the need to present a unified message.

Specifics were discussed, said Attorney General Letitia James, but “none of those issues will be discussed here before the media. We will discuss them in private, we will come forth with a plan, we will map out where the issues are, and we will join together as one.”

“We love the press,” said state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, “but you don’t need to communicate with each other through the press.”

Mayor Adams said legislative successes on both the city and state levels had been obscured during his first year in office, and that the group was united in its efforts to combat institutional racism.

“This is what our ancestors prayed for, is standing on this stage right now,” the Mayor said. “And we’re going to live up to those prayers, those sacrifices, all the things they went through.”