Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery will host two days of programming this week to mark Juneteenth, which is Friday.
It’s just one such event taking place throughout metro Atlanta to recognize Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
“Join us as we remember the generations that suffered under the yoke of slavery and segregation and help us celebrate a future of action and equality for all,” Oakland wrote in a Facebook post.
The Juneteenth programming will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, with a reflection and remembrance walk. Attendees are invited to walk throughout the cemetery for “an hour of silent reflection.”
At the entrance, visitors will be given a map of the grounds, with sites of African American history and spaces conducive for quiet reflection.
There will be no formal programming with speeches or music, the cemetery notes. Socially distancing and cloth masks are encouraged.
"This is simply an opportunity for communal reflection and contemplation," according to Oakland's website. "We recognize that the horrifying events over the last few weeks, months, years, and centuries have caused trauma to our minds, bodies, and spirits."
Oakland’s recognition of Juneteenth will continue on Friday.
“After reflection and remembrance, it’s time to celebrate and take action,” according to Oakland.
Throughout the day on Friday, Oakland will host digital programming, including virtual tours of Oakland’s African American burial grounds, storytelling, musical performances and prayer.
Due to the coronavirus, the planned program “Remembrance as Resistance: Preserving Black Narratives, a project led by artist Charmaine Minniefield and Flux Projects,” is postponed until 2021.
DETAILS
June 18-19
Programming to be held online and in person
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