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Join us ar the Northampton Community Center  1435 Todds Lane, Building A

**Due to severe weather, "A Juneteenth Pageant - The Play," is postponed until Monday, June 19, 6 pm. We regret any inconvenience, and look forward to seeing you then!**

The Hampton Juneteenth Pageant is more than glitz, glam and Juneteenth history, the contestants will not only display their outer beauty but will also reveal their internal struggles with a mixture of song, spoken word, laughter and tears.  This special event is free and open to the public.

Written and directed by Hampton playwright, Marie St. Clair, this moving, often humorous and most memorable experience illuminates the origins and meaning of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Attendees will laugh, may cry, and will leave enlightened to the true meaning of Juneteenth, also known as "Freedom Day."

About her production, and what sets it apart from other Juneteenth observances, St. Clair says, “In the play, a Pageant Coordinator is holding a grudge, a Master of Ceremony is trying to build a career, and the contestants working through life issues, come together in A Juneteenth Pageant unlike you have ever seen! The play has music, poetry, laughter, DRAMA! The play is a celebration of Juneteenth and will be an evening of theatre you won’t forget!”

Bringing St. Clair’s words and characters to life through performance is a stellar cast, including Deedra Chambers, Akeylah Simone, Denayne Barlow, Jada Holliday, Candyce St. Clair, Aviance Jenkins and Cameron Sanders. 

Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. It is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas. Originating in Galveston, Juneteenth has since been observed annually in various parts of the United States, often broadly celebrating African-American culture. The day was first recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act.

Presented by the Hampton History Museum and sponsored by The Fort Monroe Authority.