State’s Oldest Juneteenth Celebration Returns June 17-19

HARTFORD — The Amistad Foundation 14th annual Juneteenth celebration, the oldest in the state of Connecticut, will be held June 17 through 19 at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art.

Juneteenth honors African American freedom and achievement while it commemorates June 19, 1865: when the enslaved in Galveston, Tex., learned they were free, 2½ years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Amistad Foundation’s Juneteenth Gala is one of the most celebrated African American events in the region and opens the weekend festivities.

This year’s gala on Friday, June 17, at 8 pm, is called “Full Regalia!” in response to the final weekend of the “African Art, African Voices” exhibition at the Wadsworth. Attire is black tie or Afro-centric. The menu will highlight traditional African American foods and performers will include chanteuse Charmagne backed by the Groove U Trio and Karl Browne with Smooth Improvisation.

This year’s Juneteenth theme is “Celebrating Our Community and Culture.” Samuel Hamilton, Grand National Polemarch Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, is Grand Marshall. Dr David Carter, President of Eastern Connecticut State University, is Honorary Chair. Greater Hartford’s African American fraternities, sororities, and Masonic organizations will be participants in the gala and weekend events.

Juneteenth Family Day will be Saturday, June 18, from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission will be free all day. Family Day will include hands-on crafts for children, performances in the Aetna Theater, and a new Pan-African marketplace, open until 3 pm. Vendors will be offering clothing, accessories, and crafts.

On Sunday at 1:30 pm a gospel brunch will feature the jubilant and charismatic ensemble Trent Von’Lee & 7th Dispensation.

Tickets to the Juneteenth Gala are $65 each; tickets including a pre-gala reception range from $150 for one person to $1,000 for two. Gospel brunch tickets are $40 per person.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.TheArmistadFoundation.org. To receive an invitation by mail, call or send an email to The Amistad Foundation at 860-838-4133 or AmistadFoundation              @WadsworthAtheneum.org.