Date and Time for this Past Event
- Saturday, Jun 19, 2021 9am - 12pm
Location
North Carolina State Capitol
1 E Edenton St
Details
The North Carolina State Capitol will host a community art collaboration on historic Union Square, Saturday, June 19 in commemoration of Juneteenth. In 2020, the City of Raleigh designated Juneteenth as a city holiday celebrating the official end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed.
From 9 a.m.- noon, visitors are invited to visit the Capitol grounds while chalk artist Kiara Sanders creates line drawings on the sidewalks of the Juneteenth flag and portraits of freedmen and freedwomen whose lives intersected with the State Capitol. The public is encouraged to help color in the portraits and to write the names of other ancestors who lived in bondage to create a colorful visual celebration of the legacy of emancipation and Juneteenth. Historic interpreters from the Capitol will be present to share context and history about the holiday and the early history of Raleigh with visitors. This morning of art and reflection will precede the inaugural Capital City Juneteenth Celebration at Dix Park. There is no charge to attend this event, and all are welcome. The Capitol is located at 1 East Edenton Street, Raleigh.