An Abundance of Activity in Auburn Will Celebrate Juneteenth 2022

Juneteenth will be celebrated this June 16th through 19th with events downtown, at our historic & cultural sites and at the Booker T. Washington Community Center.

Events for Saturday, June 18th which will include:

• Seward House Museum and National Park Service Juneteenth Trolley Tours to be held at 9:15 am, 10:15 am and 12:15 pm. (The 11:15 am is full.) Reservations are recommended for these 45-minute trolley tours around Auburn. To make a reservation call 315-882-8060 or email Ranger Kim.
• 11 am proclamation ceremony at the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center
• 11:30 am Juneteenth parade from City Hall to the Booker T. Washington Community Center
• Noon - 5 pm Juneteenth Festival at Booker T. Washington Community Center on Chapman Avenue will feature music, food and more than 40 vendors.
• 5 - 10 pm Juneteenth Downtown Celebration on Lincoln Street at the Exchange Street Plaza with three bands, food and beverage vendors. The music line-up includes: 5 pm U.A.D.; 6:30 pm Sing Trece & Kenneth McLaurin; and, 8 pm Ronnie Leigh.

For complete 2022 Juneteenth weekend information click here.

Harriet Tubman National Historical Park Walks & Talks

The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park will lead free programming on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the Juneteenth celebration, June 16 through 18. 

Here is a list of the free daily events:

• 10 a.m. “Hike Through the History of Tubman” walking tours, meet your Park Ranger at the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center.
• 2 p.m. “Harriet Tubman’s Home in Freedom” tour at the Harriet Tubman Home, 180 South Street.
• 4 p.m. Tubman Talks by a Park Ranger inside the air conditioned gallery of the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center.
• For more information contact Ranger Kim or call (315) 882-8060. 

Movie on the Outside Lawn: Harriet - Thursday, June 16th

Join us on the west lawn at the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center at 8:30 p.m. for a free viewing of the 2019 film Harriet. (Film will begin once the sun sets.) This film tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes; rated PG-13 and runs 2 hours and 5 minutes. In the event of inclement weather the movie will be rescheduled to a later date to be announced. Check the Equal Rights Heritage Center Facebook page for an announcement the evening of the event regarding weather.

Artist Exhibition at Schweinfurth Art Center, a Powerful Exhibit on the Erasure of Black History

North Carolina native Quinn A. Hunter has always used her art to comment on issues she believed were important. Her exhibit at the Schweinfurth Art Center, "Here/Hear," focuses on one such issue: the erasure of Black history by Southern plantations that ignore their slavery past and cities that have torn down Black neighborhoods to build highways.

“My work addresses what it means to carry the weight of 250+ years of being Black into the 21st century,” she said, “how all of these external factors have led to the way I perceive, actively seek out, question, and struggle for reasoning with faith.”

Admission to the Art Center is free all day June 18th. Also on display are "Excellence in Fibers VII" and "In God's Voice: A Celebration of the Spirituality of Harriet Tubman."  Learn more: schweinfurthartcenter.org

WOMBA Africa at Willard Memorial Chapel

Sunday June 19, 2022 at 2:00 pm, the Womba Africa Drumming & Dance Group make their way to the Historic Willard Memorial Chapel for a Juneteenth Celebration as part of the Harriet Tubman Bicentennial!

Originally from the town of Nungua, Africa, the Womba Africa Drumming and Dance group shares the culture of Ghana through dance and music. Performances are culturally unique in so many ways from their costumes, instruments, rhythms, dance, and songs all originating from West Africa.

This event is $10 per person. The Chapel is accessible through its north entrance off Seymour Street. Tickets are available at Willard Chapel, 17 Nelson Street, Auburn, NY during regular hours Wednesday-Friday 10 am – 4 pm or call 315-252-0339.

Fort Hill Cemetery Juneteenth Walking Tour

Fort Hill Cemetery is excited to announce a special Juneteenth and Father’s Day event at the cemetery.

Celebrate the rich history of Fort Hill Cemetery’s African American population with a one-hour tour highlighting key historical figures buried at Fort Hill. Tour stops include the following gravesites: Charles Augustis Smith, Frederick Richardson, Henry Douglas, Jerome Holland, Harriet Tubman, and more!

Sunday, June 19th at 1 PM at Fort Hill Cemetery, 19 Fort Street, Auburn, NY. Attendees will meet at the main entrance (front gate) of the cemetery next to Bradley Memorial Chapel. Please arrive approximately fifteen minutes early so that staff can ensure your spot. The cost of the tour is $5.00 per person, with the proceeds going to Fort Hill Cemetery Association. Tour attendees are encouraged to bring cash with them on the day of the tour as there will be no advance sales for this event.

In the event of inclement weather, a rain date of July 20th, at 1 PM is the alternate date and time of this tour. Accessibility: Not all areas of Historic Fort Hill Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please notify the cemetery in advance if you have mobility issues. Comfortable shoes and clothing are highly recommended.