Creative Greensboro, Department of Libraries and Museum, and the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department will host a day of virtual Juneteenth activities in celebration and rememberance on Friday, June 19. Videos, Facebook Live events, and Zoom calls will held beginning at 9 am and run through 7:30 pm. Events include cooking segments, historical perspectives, arts performances, panel discussions, and more. Events will be broadcast on the City of Greensboro’s Facebook page. All events are free.

Juneteenth is the oldest known commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.  On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger announced that slaves in Texas were free by order of the President of the United States.  The announcement came two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863.

Juneteenth: A Day of Celebration and Remembrance

• 9 am: Welcome and City of Greensboro Proclamation with Sharon Hightower, Greensboro City Council Member, District 1
• 9:15 am: All Different Now: Juneteenth the First Day of Freedom - A Book Reading with April Parker
• 9:30 am: Introduction to Juneteenth History and Traditions - Brief history highlighting the origins and meaning of Juneteenth with Rodney Dawson, Greensboro Historical Museum Curator.
• 9:45 am: Emancipation Proclamation - A Short Documentory
• 10 am: Songs of Experience: A Conversation with Rhiannon Giddens. The singer, composer and Greensboro native talks with GHM Curator of Exhibits Robert Harris about bringing African American history to life through music, storytelling and performance. Topics include Giddens’s ongoing composition focused on the Wilmington coup and massacre of 1898 and her opera Omar, about the Islamic scholar enslaved in North Carolina in the early 1800s, premiering at the 2021 Spoleto Festival. Register to join us on Zoom or plan to watch on Facebook.
• 10:50 am: The Poetry Project Spoken Word Performance. Josephus Thompson and the Gate City Youth Slam team share pieces that celebrate and honor triumph during a time of civil unrest – celebrating our present by remembering our past. Freedom always finds a way.
• 11 am: JoyeMovement Dance Company Performance. Solo performance "Fit the Description"
• 11:15 am: Dame’s Chick & Waffles Cooking Segment. History Museum Curator of Education Rodney Dawson visits Dame's Chicken & Waffles to learn about culinary traditions associated with Juneteenth celebrations. 
• 12 noon: History Lunch Break: Voting Rights, an Unfinished Story. The Fifteenth Amendment, which prevents states from excluding voters on the basis of race, is 150 years old this year. Yet the fulfillment of its promises has been a long struggle that continues today. Curator of Community History Glenn Perkins talks with guests about the history of African American voting rights and ongoing, nonpartisan efforts at ensuring access to the polls in NC. Register to join us on Zoom or plan to watch on Facebook.
• 1 pm: Juneteenth Book Talk. Have you ever heard of Juneteenth? Ms. Christine explains what the word means and why it is so important to the African American community. Families will learn about Juneteenth's history and culture.
• 1:15 pm: Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet Performance. Share excerpts from "Generations 5" performed to the reading of Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise".
• 2 pm: Greensboro History’s Museum’s: Deeper Inside Project Democracy. Episode featuring African American voting rights and the story of Justice Henry Frye.
• 3 pm: Tea Cakes Cooking Demo. Tea Cake is an important part of African American culture and in celebration of Juneteenth.  Tea Cake is made from simple pantry ingredients and as a result, made sharing the recipe amongst slaves easy. The tea cake is a sweet treat with a profound historical background. 
• 3:30 pm: Kay Marion Vocal Performance. Vocal Performance of "His Eye Is On The Sparrow"
• 4 pm: Juneteenth BINGO. Try your hand at Greensboro's African American history in this fun, live online game! Register on Zoom to download bingo cards and play.
• 5 pm: Juneteenth and Its Greensboro Ties. History Museum Curator of Education Rodney Dawson talks to Dr. Arwin Smallwood of the Department of History & Political Science at North Carolina A&T State University about Greensboro connections to Juneteenth and other emancipation celebrations. Register to join us on Zoom or plan to watch on Facebook.
• 5:30 pm: Divine Nine: Histories of Service - A Panel Discussion. History Museum Curator of Education Rodney Dawson moderates a forum with Black Greek Letter Organization presidents about education, achievement and service.
• 6:10 pm: Vanessa Ferguson LIVE
• 6:30 pm: Juneteenth: Freedom, Hope, and Song -  A Discussion with James Shields. Juneteenth is the oldest holiday in observance of African American emancipation as a result of the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, freeing all slaves. Join us for a reflection on the history and significance of Juneteenth (June 19) and why the commemoration of this historic day is important and relevant. James Shields, Director of Community Learning at Bonner Center for Community Service at Guilford College, will delve into the historical significance of Juneteeth it's connection to Greensboro’s Underground Railroad through the common theme of people seeking freedom, Hear songs and learn their connection to Juneteenth and Black freedom. Poet, playwright. counselor and practitioner of the healing arts, Sage Chioma, will also share an original poem in honor of this historic day. Register by emailing trena.taylor@greensboro-nc.gov. A link for this online event will be sent to you.