Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park is hosting its annual Juneteenth Celebration with a community-wide 3 day celebration of art, food, music and culture.
Starting on June 15th, it’s the Annual Campout with Joseph McGill.
Enjoy an overnight under the stars with esteemed historian Joe McGill of The Slave Dwelling Project. Eat an authenitc Gullah meal al fresco in the park followed by a thoughtful discussion about the people who lived in Mitchelville and what their daily lives were like. Guests are invited to spend the night in the park in a primitive camp setting. Limited tent rentals are available.
Joseph McGill, Jr. is a history consultant for Magnolia Plantation in Charleston, South Carolina, and the founder and director of The Slave Dwelling Project. Previously, as a field officer for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Mr. McGill worked to revitalize the Sweet Auburn commercial district in Atlanta, Georgia, and to develop a management plan for the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area. He is a former executive director of the African American Museum in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and a former director of history and culture at Penn Center, St. Helena Island, South Carolina. He has also served as a National Park Service park ranger at Fort Sumter National Monument in Charleston.
Learn more about The Slave Dwelling Project here.
On June 16th, it’s the annual Juneteenth Drum Circle in the park from 530 to 7pm. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees will enjoy making music and listening to the drum circle, as well as lots of food and local vendors.
On Saturday, June 17th, it’s the Juneteenth Celebration. Enjoy over 30 art, craft, food vendors in the park from 1030am to 3pm.
What had begun as only a military mission grew into something more than that. Mitchelville became a vibrant, self-governed community, both defined and accentuated by the customs and cultures of native islanders, the Gullahs, and those brought to America from a multitude of countries and islands. At its height, Mitchelville boasted 1,500 to 3,000 residents and demonstrated freedom and opportunity for African Americans diverse in backgrounds and origins.
Find more information at https://exploremitchelville.org/
