Juneteenth

What is Juneteenth? Juneteenth is the oldest known nationally celebrated event commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation declared that as of January 1, 1863, all slaves of the states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” However, it was not until June 19th, 1865, two years later, when the U.S. Army took possession of Galveston Island in Texas and began a campaign against the defenders of slavery, that…

Dreaming Black Art: Gateways to a New Awareness  June 7, 13, & 19 The celebration includes an artist reception, an In-debt Conversation, a live concert, a children’s drumming workshop, African drumming, and more. Masculinity and manhood are hot topics in the United States today. Debates over the correct role of men in society fill our political and social discussions.  Some men feel that they are under attack just for performing their male role in “traditional” ways, while others (men and…

Chanting Down Babylon: Redemption Songs of the Diaspora  Saturday, June 17th, 2023 | Noon – 10:00 PM | Strawbery Banke Live Music, Food & Craft Vendors, Drumming, Dance, Kids Activities & More  Chanting Down Babylon: Redemption Songs of the Diaspora It is not an overstatement to say that world culture has been influenced by Jamaican reggae music and culture. With its roots grounded in an African sensibility of expressing philosophical words through music, its slow rhythmic beat, its militant, rebellious,…

Reading the Bones: Celebrating the African Diaspora  June 10, 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19, 2023 The celebration includes a tour, a panel discussion, a Reggae festival, a gospel choir concert, African drumming, and more… Reading the bones is both an ancient and modern form of divination found in all civilizations. Divination is among the earliest human spiritual practices concerned with choosing actions that were in accord with the “will of heaven” to allay uncertainty, heal illness, or navigate issues…