The inspirational play offers a candid view of this new American holiday and the historical events surrounding its origin story, as well as our collective responsibility for shaping a more just and equitable shared future.Д®ducational offerings at the event will include a talk by Rutgers University undergraduate Isabella Ruiter, who recently traveled to Benin for a study abroad program. The squares will be incorporated into SSAAMвЂ™s first community quilt, representing the beautiful mosaic of people in the Sourlands region.ДЄctors from the Allegra School of Music and Arts will present To Be Free, an original Juneteenth performance written by dramatist Ryan Kilpatrick. Visitors will have the opportunity to make quilt squares representing their own culture, the future, and social justice. Ronah Harris will give community members a chance to create art of their own: guiding visitors through the craft of quilt-making as an artistic and storytelling tradition in the African American community. Immediately following the presentation, Emmy-winning artist and educator Dr. These artists believed that art was for everyone and could elevate the quality of life for individuals in the community. Noted Princeton artists, activists, and educators Judith Brodsky and Rhinold Ponder will present вЂњBlack Artists: Elevating the Community,вЂќ a talk about five Black artists who lived in and around the Sourlands 50 years ago.

This celebration marks the first time visitors will be welcomed back to the museumвЂ™s home in-person since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.ДЄmong the dayвЂ™s highlights will be artistic workshops at the True Farmstead. Zion AME Church in Skillman and the adjacent True Farmstead, a historic African American-owned property recently purchased by SSAAM and the Sourland Conservancy. It will take place at the National Historic Register-listed Mt. This family-friendly event, вЂњFreedom Forward,вЂќ will feature live music from The Jonathan Ware Quartet, food from Trenton BBQ restaurant вЂњThe Big Easy,вЂќ artist talks, theatrical performances, activities for kids, and inspiring community speakers and leaders celebrating African American resilience and freedom.

The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM), central New JerseyвЂ™s only Black history museum, will hold its first Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 18, from 11am to 3pm.

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