Source: @ACThePlug / Radio One Digital
Celebrated annually, Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas, that all previously enslaved Black people in the state were free. Although slaves had been formally freed almost two and a half years prior and the American Civil War had come to an end earlier in the year, news and enforcement of the proclamation had been slow and inconsistent in remote areas of the still-growing United States. The date has since served as cause for celebration, remembrance, and traditions across the country.
2022 Events:
Friday, June 17 – Sunday, June 19
Celebrate Freedom
Location: Cary Art Center
In observance of Juneteenth becoming an official Town holiday, the columns of the Cary Art Center will be lit in red, yellow, and green to honor the heritage and meaning of the day. These colors, in addition to black, all carry significant meaning on this day: red represents the noble blood that unites all people of African ancestry, the color black for the people, green for the rich land of Africa, and yellow which joins these colors on the traditional flag of Ethiopia, which has influenced the flags of many Pan-African organizations.
Friday, June 17
Film: Miss Juneteenth
The Cary Theatre
Doors Open: 7 p.m. | Show: 7:30 p.m.
2020, 99 minutes, Drama, PG
A former beauty queen and single mom prepares her rebellious teenage daughter for the “Miss Juneteenth” pageant.
Saturday, June 18
North Carolina Symphony Summerfest | Juneteenth Celebration
Michelle Di Russo, conductor
Koka Booth Amphitheatre
Doors Open: 6:30 P.M. | Show: 8 P.M.
Join your North Carolina Symphony in a celebration of the contributions of African-American musicians and composers to our American musical heritage, featuring music by Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, William Grant Still, and North Carolina Symphony Composer-in-Residence Anthony Kelley.
Sunday, June 19
Celebrate Freedom | FREE
Old Library Site – 310 S. Academy St.
3 – 4:30 P.M.
3 P.M. Procession led by Wesley Williams and SUAH with performance
3:20 P.M. Welcome, Libation, and Proclamation
3:30 P.M. Connie Lea and MoJazz
3:50 P.M. Thomasi McDonald and Company – NC Freedom Story of Harriett Ann Jacobs
4:10 P.M. Nicole Thomas – Freedom Dance Interpretation
4:25 P.M. Blue Steel Drumline
Food Vending will be provided by Corner Boys BBQ and Jay’s Italian Ice.
The Fire of Freedom performed by Mike Wiley
The Cary Arts Center
6:30 – 7:30 P.M.
Tickets: $10 | Purchase tickets
Abraham H. Galloway (1837-1870) was a fiery young slave rebel, radical abolitionist, and Union spy who rose out of bondage to become one of the most significant and stirring black leaders in the South during the Civil War. Throughout his brief, mercurial life, Galloway fought against slavery and injustice. He risked his life behind enemy lines, recruited black soldiers for the North, and fought racism in the Union army’s ranks. He also stood at the forefront of an African American political movement, even leading a historic delegation of black southerners to the White House to meet with President Lincoln and to demand the full rights of citizenship. He later became one of the first black men elected to the North Carolina legislature. Long hidden from history, Galloway’s story reveals a war unfamiliar to most of us. This riveting portrait, adapted by playwright Howard Craft from the book by Dr. David Cecelski, illuminates Galloway’s life and deepens our insight into the Civil War and Reconstruction as experienced by African Americans in the South.
1. In Person at the Cary Theater or by calling direct at 919-462-2055 (No convenience fees apply)
Box office services are located in the main lobby of the theater (122 E. Chatham Street, Cary).
Box office hours: Tuesday through Friday, 12pm – 6pm
2. Online through Etix ($2 convenience fee per ticket + tax applies)
https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/3714751/the-fire-of-freedom-featuring-mike-wiley-cary-cary-arts-center
3. By Phone through Etix [NOT THE CARY THEATER BOX OFFICE] ($2 convenience fee per ticket)
Etix Phone Center 1-800-514-3849
Monday through Friday, 9am – 8pm; Saturday, 10am – 8pm; or Sunday, 12pm – 8pm.
4. Day of Show/At the Cary Arts Center (zero fees)
However, we recommend reserving your seats in advance of the show.
Source: R1 / other
