FREE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND HISTORY

FREE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND HISTORY              

CHARLOTTE, N.C., June, 9 2021 – Celebrate Charlotte’s Black history and culture with the free African American Heritage Festival, hosted by The Charlotte Museum of History, June 7-12.

This year’s festival is a combination of virtual and in-person events. The full schedule of daily events is at charlottemuseum.org/events. Limited tickets for in-person events are free and must be reserved in advance. The 2021 African American Heritage Festival is made possible with support from the Arts & Science Council and Pride Magazine.

Visitors of all ages can enjoy free live streamed and in-person activities all week, including:

Monday, June 7 at noon. Live streamed: Charlotte Ballet will offer a live streamed dance demonstration featuring West African dance traditions. The program will explore movement, music, costuming and more.

Tuesday, June 8, noon. Live streamed: The “What’s in a Name?” live streamed Lunch & Learn will feature a conversation with Charlotte community historian Tom Hanchett, JCSU archivist Brandon Lunsford and representatives from Tuskegee and Fisk universities. They will discuss the origins of the Rosenwald Fund, which helped build thousands of schools for African American children in the South during the Jim Crow era.

Wednesday, June 9, at noon. Live streamed: Playwright and actress Lakeetha Blakeney joins the museum for a live streamed conversation that explores African American food, hair and fashion as they were, as they are now and how they could be in the future.

Thursday, June 10, at 6 p.m. Live streamed: Former Charlotte Mayor and U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx will join the museum for a live streamed conversation as part of the Ron Hankins “History Talks” Lecture Series, sponsored by

Wells Fargo. Foxx will discuss his career and his work combating racism in various roles, including as chair of Davidson College’s Commission on Race and Slavery.

Friday, June 11, at 4 p.m. In person at the museum: JazzArts will perform a concert in person at the museum. Limited tickets are free and must be reserved in advance.

Saturday, June 12, noon-4 p.m. In person at the museum: Afternoon on the Grounds. Witness the “Chronicles of Adam” first-person historical narrative with interpreter Dontavius Williams, see a performance by Drums 4 Life, explore a new exhibit that tells the story of the historic Siloam School and watch art in motion as local artists Makayla Binter, Abel Jackson, Marcus Kiser and Ricky Singh paint portraits of notable Black Charlotteans. Visit charlottemuseum.org/events for specific performance times.

How to Go

All events are free. Tickets to in-person events at the museum’s East Charlotte campus are limited and must be reserved in advance.

Masks are required for all visitors over the age of 5 when indoors at the museum, and visitors ages 2-5 are highly encouraged to wear a face covering. When outdoors, all visitors over the age of 5 are required to wear a face covering when they may be within six feet of anyone not in their group, including museum staff.

About The Charlotte Museum of History

The Charlotte Museum of History exists to save and share the Charlotte region’s history, helping create a better understanding of the past and inspiring dialogue about the future. The museum is the steward of the 1774 Hezekiah Alexander Rock House and homesite, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the oldest home in Mecklenburg County. Visit charlottemuseum.org and follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The museum is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Contact:
Mary Beth Navarro, 704-576-1858