It’s Juneteenth Weekend at the African American Museum in Philadelphia and the community has come out to celebrate! Ned Hector, a Revolutionary War soldier with a musket slung over his shoulder, stands in the museum lobby, engaging families with stories of his life and war service in the late 1700s. On the plaza, topping out at 9 feet or more, Pasha the Stiltwalker dances in festive ceremonial gear, a tribute to his West African culture. And in the auditorium a troupe of Girl Scouts work on a mural with artist Parris Stancell of the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. Drumming echoes through the museum, feet pound the ramps from floor to floor and exhibit to exhibit, and a hum of energy can be felt throughout.

Juneteenth – commemorated each year on June 19^th –  marks the date in 1865 when news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached the farthest corner of the Confederacy, in Galveston, Texas, having been issued by Abraham Lincoln on New Years Day 1863, more than two years earlier. This proclamation was the effective death-knell of legalized slavery in the United States, formalized with the ratification of the 13^th Amendment in December 1865.

For the African American Museum in Philadelphia, dedicated to telling the diverse stories of Africans and African Americans, it’s clear why Juneteenth would have such a special meaning. But for us, it has a doubly-special significance, for each Juneteenth marks the anniversary of our founding. And this year, with re-enactors roaming our galleries, African drummers and dancers on our plaza, arts and crafts activities in the auditorium, and even stargazing, midnight movie watching and family fitness activities, we marked a significant milestone: 35 years collecting, preserving and interpreting the objects and images of our communities.

This is a celebratory moment for us and we look forward to welcoming old friends and new into our spaces to share the experience. Since June, we’ve offered one such ongoing opportunity, through the Knight Arts Challenge: a weekly series of live music and free extended museum hours called RAAMP It Up! Wednesdays. We’ve had an amazing array of talented performers so far – stay tuned to the Knight Arts blog to hear more!