June 11, 2023 from 11 am-4pm

Descendants Day at James Monroe’s Highland

2050 James Monroe Parkway
Charlottesville, VA 22902

The Highland Council of Descendant Advisors will host an afternoon of refreshments, music, resources, and stories with other individuals and descendant communities whose ancestors were enslaved in Central Virginia and beyond. This event is free and open to the public.

The Council welcomes anyone working on or interested in the histories of slavery and the shared work of making our present and future more equitable based on historical knowledge.

Register to Attend

June 17, 2023 from 9am-3pm

Juneteenth Parade and Emancipation Concert at the Jefferson School

233 4th St NW
Charlottesville, VA 22903

Join a day full of celebrations at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center!

9 AM – A parade begins at the Jackson P. Burley parking lot and will conclude on the Jefferson School’s Front Lawn. Those who are of African descent are invited to walk in the parade! Afterwards, take time to visit with Black vendors from organizations and businesses from around the Charlottesville area.

12 – 3 PM: Enjoy the Emancipation Concert featuring Richelle Claiborne as MC of the festivities, Ivan Orr leading a Gospel band plus Ellis Williams and Lady Taij.

7:30 PM: Attend a special performance of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom by August Wilson, presented by the Charlottesville Players Guild with a special intermission from the Early Music Access Project.

June 15–25, 2023

Charlottesville Players Guild Presents: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center
233 4th St NW
Charlottesville, VA 22903

The Charlottesville Players Guild, a Black theater performed from the Black Perspective, will host performances of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom from Thursday June 15 – Sunday June 25, 2023.

Screenings will occur Thursday – Saturday at 7:30 PM and on Sundays at 2 PM.

Get Tickets
Credit: @cfangvisuals

June 18, 2023 at 7:30 PM

Rock & Reel: Monticello’s Folk Traditions

Rotunda at the University of Virginia
1826 University Ave
Charlottesville, VA 22904

Early Music Access Project presents a concert that explores the unique repertoire of the accomplished Black fiddlers of Monticello and the Hemings family, hosted in the Rotunda at the University of Virginia. The dome of this UNESCO World Heritage Site will be lit up with constellations, modeled after Thomas Jefferson’s 1818 plans. Register for free tickets in advance.

Before the concert, join a special pre-concert tour of the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers on the University of Virginia’s Grounds at 6 PM.

Register for Tickets

June 19, 2023 at 11am and 4pm

Historic River View Farm Tour

Join the Ivy Creek Foundation to learn about the history of the Juneteenth holiday and the history of River View Farm, located in scenic Albemarle County. Tour River View Farm and learn about the Carr/Greer family's contributions to the community as well as their legacy. Register for free to book your spot (15 spots maximum).

Register for 11 AM Tour
Register for 4 PM Tour

June 24, 2023 from 10am-Noon

Southern Albemarle Juneteenth Celebration with Tour of Scottsville African American Historical Sites

275 Hardware Street
Scottsville, VA 24590

The tour begins at 10 AM at Union Baptist Church and will include stops at Washington/Rosenwald Scottsville School, the Minerva Bell Lewis Historical Marker, and the Scottsville Museum’s Juneteenth African American Exhibit.

Memorial to Enslaved Laborers

Visit the Memorial To Enslaved Laborers at UVA

Celebrating Juneteenth doesn't have to stop after this year's Juneteenth weekend! You can always visit the Memorial To Enslaved Laborers at UVA. Juneteenth marks the day when the Emancipation Proclamation was enforced in Texas on June 19, 1865, but Charlottesville actually has its own version that occurred on March 3, 1865. That day is now celebrated in Charlottesville as Liberation and Freedom Day, and the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at UVA has incorporated the sun's path on March 3, 1865 into its design. And the well thought out design and symbolism doesn't end there. Visiting the memorial at any time, rain or shine, is a thought-provoking way to remember the enslaved and their paths to freedom.

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Visit the ​“Pride Overcomes Prejudice” Exhibit

Visit the Jefferson School’s permanent exhibition, Pride Overcomes Prejudice. The exhibition presents the history of the African American communities of Charlottesville and Albemarle County through the lives of those students and teachers who built and fostered the Jefferson School from the 19th through the 20th century.

Note: the Center will be open to visitors throughout June but closed on Juneteenth.

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