Juneteenth Celebration at PVCC

The 10th annual community Juneteenth celebration, hosted by Piedmont Virginia Community College, will be held Friday and Saturday, June 18 and 19.
Dating back to 1865, Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery. In recent years, Juneteenth has enjoyed a growing interest from communities and organizations across the nation. Virginia is one of 26 states officially observing Juneteenth.

The celebration at PVCC begins at 5:30 p.m. June 18 with a Tribute to the Ancestors—featuring drumming and musical and spoken-word performances. The tribute will take place in the lakeside amphitheater on the grounds behind the V. Earl Dickinson Building at PVCC. Participants are encouraged to wear white or African clothing for this event. Following the tribute, Harry Jones will present a program on the African-American presence in the Civil War. A public reception follows.

On Saturday, June 19, activities are planned in and around the Dickinson Building from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. The day will include:

• Virtual Middle Passage experience led by Anthony Browder
• Historical reenactments
• African dance by Farafina Kan• African-American military history and memorabilia exhibits
• History through puppets: Underground Railroad, Not a Subway
• Buffalo Soldiers historian George Grady
• African drumming and dance by the Mongoso family and friends

Authors, artists, community organizations, food, films, vendors and fun for all ages. Juneteenth programs are designed to provide unique and enriching learning experiences for the whole family, including authentic historical reenactments of plantation life and hands-on activities for children.

The event is cosponsored by the City of Charlottesville and The Charlottesville Chapter of The Links Inc.
For more information log on to http://www.pvcc.edu/juneteenth, call (434) 825-8204 or e-mail .