The Juneteenth Arts Celebration is a three-day event that unites four non-profit organizations to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. This FREE event celebrates the African American community and provides the public access to local artists, food, dance, music, and other festivities at major cultural venues in Morristown and Morris Township.
The festivities culminate with a free celebration hosted by the Morris Museum on Friday, June 20. Featuring art, performances and music, this special event includes a screening of a documentary short film about New Jersey artist Danielle Scott, curator-led tours of new exhibitions including Troy Jones, special access to the Spark!Lab for families, and a performance by crowd favorite Unity Steppers.
Morris Museum Schedule on Friday, June 20
- 4:00 PM: Screening of PBS American Masters: Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call
- 4:00 PM: Extended Spark!Lab Hours (30 Minute session for 3-12 year olds accompanied by Adult(s) 1st Come; 1st Served; limited capacity)
- 4:15 PM: Curator Tour of Interwoven: Rupture and Repair
- 4:30 PM: Extended Spark!Lab Hours (30 Minute session for 3-12 year olds accompanied by Adult(s) 1st Come; 1st Served; limited capacity)
- 4:45 PM: Screening of PBS American Masters: Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call
- 5:15 PM: Curator Tour of Echoes of the Diaspora: A Study in Style, Culture and the African Mask with Featured Artist, Troy Jones
- 6:00 PM: Theater Program featuring Unity Steppers, vocalist Patricia Walton, and a screening of PBS American Masters: Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call including a Q&A with Danielle Scott and Producer, Tetiana Anderson
- 7:15 PM: Juneteenth Celebration (Music & Light Refreshments provided by DJ Frank, Dominique’s Dishes and Zen & Stuff)
Juneteenth, traditionally observed on June 19, commemorates Black liberation from the institution of slavery that occurred at the end of the Civil War when President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became law in all states. The day also highlights the resilience, solidarity, and culture of the Black community. June 19, 1865, was the day word reached the enslaved in Galveston, Texas, although this proclamation had actually ended slavery on paper two years earlier on January 1, 1863.
The partner organizations involved in this event are Art in the Atrium (ATA), Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morris Arts, and the Morris Museum.
See Juneteenth Arts Celebration schedule of free events below:
Thursday, June 18, 6:00- 7:30 PM
Mayo Performing Arts Center Outdoor Concert with Lynette Sheard and the Lawrence Allen Trio
Vail Mansion Lawn
110 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
Thursday, June 19, 6:00-9:00 PM
Art in the Atrium Opening Reception of Another Slice of Sweet Potato Pie
Morris County Administration and Records Building
10 Court Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
Friday, June 20, 4:00-9:00 PM
Free Museum admission starts at 4:00 PM
Morris Museum’s Celebration begins at 6:00 PM
6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ 07960
Photo Caption: Lynette Sheard. Photo by Allison V. Brown Photography. Russell Murray, Sweet Potato Pie. Photo courtesy of the Murray Family Collection. The Unity Steppers at the Morris Museum. Photo by Haley Miller.
