Announcements June 17, 2020

6 Virtual Events to Celebrate Juneteenth

Join one of these six virtual celebrations hosted by civic and cultural spaces honoring Black history

children play in fountain at Emancipation Park

The opening celebration of Emancipation Park on Juneteenth in 2017

This Friday across the United States, we will celebrate Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved African Americans in the Confederacy. We’re proud to have worked with important organizations and communities, like Houston’s Third Ward and the Emancipation Park Conservancy, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, and others to help highlight Black history through the built environment.

To honor this significant holiday, we’re using our platforms to elevate the virtual events being hosted by our clients and partners. Read on to learn how you can join digital art classes, virtual storytime, and enjoy presentations about the history and significance of Juneteenth:

Historic Emancipation Park

Houston, Texas

Emancipation Park Conservancy

#WEAREJUNTEENTH

Event details from the organizers: #WEAREJUNETEENTH is a national campaign created by Emancipation Park Conservancy that celebrates Juneteenth and its connection to the African American experience including the history, traditions, heritage, and culture. #WEAREJUNETEENTH is a digital platform that provides an opportunity to share and recognize the significant contributions African Americans have made to help shape American culture and society. It is a collaborative movement that highlights the strides and impact African Americans are making toward their own economical, educational, and political advancements. We will share stories of triumph, host panel discussions surrounding topics specific to African American experiences, spotlight businesses and organizations, celebrate with entertainment, and recognize leaders and history makers pushing the movement forward.

During the month of June, we will highlight the community via various platforms including social media, our website, YouTube Channel, newsletter, and much more. Join the movement! Use the post card to write what #WEAREJUNETEENTH means to you in 1-3 words. Snap a photo with the postcard, share on social media, tag us and use #WEAREJUNETEENTH. We will repost and highlight some of our favorites! Visit our website for more information and all the campaign graphics to participate: www.epconservancy.org

How to attend virtually: On Friday, join Emancipation Park Conservancy live on Facebook at 2pm CDT for “We Are One,” featuring music and exciting guest speakers.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Juneteenth: A Celebration Of Resilience

Event details from the organizers: Juneteenth is a time to celebrate, to gather as a family, to reflect on the past and look to the future. We invite you to engage in your history, learn where you came from, and discover (or share) ways to celebrate this holiday. On this day we are bringing the Museum to you through presentations, stories, photographs, and recipes from the Sweet Home Café.

We hope you join us to:

Listen to Lift Every Voice and Sing sung by renowned vocalist Rochelle Rice
Discover how to trace your ancestors in a workshop presented by the Robert F. Smith Explore Your Family History Center
Enjoy presentations about the history and significance of Juneteenth
Hear a tale that celebrates the wisdom of the elders as told by acclaimed storyteller Diane Macklin

How to attend virtually: Events will be hosted all day Friday and Saturday on nmaahc.si.edu. No registration is required and it is free and open to all.

National Museum of African American History and Culutre

Washington, D.C.

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture

Charlotte, North Carolina

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture

Family First: Juneteenth Celebration Art Lesson with Alicia McDaniel

Event details from the organizers: Commemorate a monumental moment in Black history with this fun workshop, perfect for families!

For this special Family First workshop, we find inspiration from Sonia Lynn Sadler’s Juneteenth at Oak Bluff. Recreate a scene of a vibrant Juneteeth celebration with your own twist! This colorful, mixed media piece will require the following items:

White Construction or Drawing Paper
A White Crayon
A Watercolor Set
Paint Brush
Cup of Water
Glitter Crayons and/or glitter glue in various colors

No problem if you don’t have all of the items mentioned above! What you have at home will be more than enough to create a special work of art. All backgrounds, ages and experience levels are welcome.

How to attend virtually: This event begins on Friday at 3:00pm EDT on Zoom. Click here to register. It is free and open to all.

Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Virtual Storytime: Freedom Bird

Event details from the organizers: In celebration of Juneteenth, join us for a reading of Freedom Bird: A Tale of Hope and Courage with author Jerdine Nolen.

In this inspiring story in the tradition of American black folktales, an enslaved brother and sister are inspired by a majestic and mysterious bird to escape to freedom in this dramatic and unforgettable picture book.

How to attend virtually: The reading is on Thursday and starts at 1:00pm EDT on Facebook. Click here to join.

Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Baltimore, Maryland

Museum of the African Diaspora

San Francisco, California

Museum of the African Diaspora

Juneteenth Presentation | Harlem of the West: The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Era

Event details from the organizers: The San Francisco Public Library, Museum of the African Diaspora and Heyday Books present a gathering in honor of Juneteenth and learning about the legendary musicians of the Fillmore Jazz Era.

Elizabeth Pepin Silva and Lewis Watts will present an illuminating slide show and talk about the new edition of Harlem of the West: The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Era.

Through dozens of archival photographs and oral accounts from the neighborhood residents and musicians who experienced it at its height, the Harlem of the West SF Project celebrates this unique and rediscovered chapter in jazz history and the African-American experience on the West Coast. The Project is a platform for the Fillmore’s musicians, nightclub owners and residents of the 1940s and 1950s to tell the neighborhood’s history in their own words, as well as feature rarely seen photographs and memorabilia. The new edition of Harlem of the West: The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Era book has been recently republished by Heyday Books. The edition features newly discovered photographs and memorabilia, as well as additional interviews with those who lived and played in the Fillmore at the height of its glory.

How to attend virtually: This event takes place on Zoom on Friday at 12pm PDT. Register here—the event is free and open to all.

Austin George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogical Center

Juneteenth 2020: Stay Black and Live

Event details from the organizers: Juneteenth 2020: Stay Black and Live is a virtual Juneteenth festival. A collaboration with several Black organizations in Austin’s historic East side (G.E.A.Y.A., Six Square, CarverMuseumATX, Carver Library, and Jump On It), this year’s Juneteenth celebration emphasizes not only the timeless themes of freedom and perseverance, but also recognizes the unprecedented times we’re currently living through.

Before our online program starts, the 10,000 Fearless First Responders will be distributing free plates to the communities most in need on the East side.

With additional support from The Vortex, Stay Black and Live will be streaming across multiple online platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, and on the Juneteenth website) on June 19, 2020 starting at 6pm. City Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison will kick off the festivities with a welcome message. NOOK will then introduce Freedom Desk, our music and spoken word performance series that will feature artists from the Austin/Travis County area.

We’ll also have a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses. Proceeds will benefit G.E.A.Y.A. and Six Square as these organizations continue to tirelessly serve the African-American community in Austin.

Stay Black and Live will continue through the night with an after party hosted by Capitol View Arts.

How to attend virtually: The event will be live streamed across multiple platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and the museum’s Juneteenth Website, starting at 6pm CDT. You can also register for the event here. It is free and open to all.

Austin George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogical Center

Austin, Texas

6 Virtual Events to Celebrate Juneteenth

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