Aiken hosts weeklong celebration for Juneteenth

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - While Juneteenth comes along one day a year, Aiken is hosting a weeklong celebration of emancipation.

On Monday, the Center for African American History, Art & Culture is opening its doors to the community to tour its historic building, for a historic reason.

“There’s so much that is working against freedom and against knowing the full and complete history of this country,” said Jennifer Tolson-Curtis, board chair of the center.

JUNETEENTH IN AIKEN:

• At the Center for African American History, Art, and Culture 120 York St. NE, Aiken: Juneteenth Paint and Sip - June 20; Freedom Day Cocktails and Conversations - June 21; Juneteenth Greek Night - June 22; Juneteenth Movie Night - June 23
• At Founders Park in Aiken: Juneteenth Festival at Founders Park - June 24, noon to 2 p.m.

Juneteenth was first recognized as a national holiday in 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.

That was the same year the center opened.

The day celebrates African American heritage by honoring the enforcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas in 1865.

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Now 158 years later, the center is using the day as a time of reflection, looking back on the deep history of African Americans heritage in the area. Juneteenth is just another day to build upon the center’s groundwork started three years ago.

Aiken resident, Kathryn Isaac has never been to the center, Monday she got her first look. I’m just glad that they have a space for us to come and learn our heritage, to learn our culture. We need to be more proactive and learning for ourselves. Because nobody’s going to tell us we have to get that for ourselves.”

For Tolson-Curtis, she hopes visitors leave the center enlightened, “I hope that people carry the spirit of freedom and with them that this building symbolizes and that the day symbolizes, freedom is for everyone.”

Aiken’s Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom continues this week with multiple events:

• Tuesday: The center will host a Juneteenth paint & sip, tickets are $45 and includes supplies and wine. The event starts at 6 p.m.
• Wednesday: Juneteenth Cocktails and Conversations event will take place. It is a corporate fundraising event for the organization.
• Thursday: Greek Night, the center will celebrate the ‘Divine Nine’ while also learning about the organizations rooted in African American Culture.
• Friday: Juneteenth Movie Night. The film Ruby Bridges will play, in hopes to open the dialogue surrounding integration.
• Saturday: Over at Founders Park, the City of Aiken and the center will combine to put on a final Juneteenth celebration. Music by Mac Arnold and Plate Full O’Blues will also play.

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