Juneteenth Celebration
Storytelling, drumming, gospel music and dance - along with a dash of history - will highlight New London's cross-cultural celebration of Juneteenth on Saturday, June 13 at the Hempsted Houses. The Juneteenth Jubilee, which runs from 1-4 p.m., is co-sponsored by the New London Branch of the NAACP, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and the Hempsted Houses. There is no charge for admission or for any of the activities. (Join the event on Facebook at https://goo.gl/c8L9Rl.) The celebration will feature a variety of family activities, including an opportunity to help paint a 10-foot mural on a canvas provided by New London's Expressiones Cultural Center. Kids also can get their faces painted, learn to write with a quill pen, play colonial games, try on period clothing and color pictures of local scenes. Several local organizations will have booths, and food will be available for purchase. New London storyteller McKinley Winston is organizing a range of local performers to tell stories of freedom and emancipation. Some will perform on stage and others will roam the crowd, telling their tales to visitors. New London historian Lonnie Braxton will also speak during the day. Performers include the Community Choir, a gospel choir organized by local churches; drummer Dwight Baldwin; Lillian Cook's Lion's Den Dance Troupe; and Adowa Bandele Asante, portraying Harriet Tubman in the years after the Civil War. Food vendors are a Taste of New Orleans and Sweetie's Bakery. Juneteenth began as a commemoration of abolition in Texas in 1865, but now celebrates the end of slavery across the U.S. South. The Hempsted Houses, located at 11 Hempstead St. in New London, are at the heart of the city's first African-American neighborhood. Visitors can take a self-guided walking tour of the neighborhood using a brochure that will be available at the celebration. Guided tours of the Hempsted Houses will be offered on the hour and half hour. During Connecticut Open House Day, sponsored by the state tourism office, hundreds of museums and historic sites are open for free.
Date and Time
Saturday Jun 13, 2015
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT
Saturday, June 13, 1-4 p.m.
Location
Hempsted Houses
Fees/Admission
Free
Contact Information
Hempsted Houses 860-443-7949
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