A series of events commemorates the first enslaved Africans in English-speaking North America
African Landing Day commemoration includes soil mixing ceremony
Hampton, VA, Aug. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On a hot summer day in August 1619, a moment of profound significance occurred on the shores of what is now Hampton, Virginia. It was here that the first Africans arrived in English-speaking North America from what is now Angola, marking the beginning of a harrowing chapter in history. Commemorative events will be held August 23-25 to honor the first Africans brought here in 1619 and to highlight their legacy of culture, identity, resistance and triumph.
Join the Fort Monroe Authority, National Park Service, Project 1619, Inc. and the City of Hampton on August 24 for the 2024 African Landing Day Commemoration and Soil Mixing Ceremony at Fort Monroe. The soil mixing ceremony will mark the site of the African Landing Memorial, scheduled for completion in 2026. Soil from Angola will be mixed with soil from Fort Monroe and other sites in Virginia. This ceremony will include cultural honors and recognition, as well as youth activities, a Parade of Nations, flower petal ceremony, drumming and bell ringing ceremony. There will be guest performances by Sheila Arnold, storyteller, Leah Glenn Dance Theater, KAM Kelly & The DAY Program and Tidewater African Cultural Alliance.
Schedule of commemorations for the African Landing Day:
The William Tucker 1624 Society’s annual African landing event
Friday, August 23, 2024, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Hampton Roads Convention Center
The William Tucker 1624 Society is honored to welcome Filipe Silvino de Pina Zau, Angola’s Minister of Culture, as the keynote speaker for this event and to have a large delegation of Angolans accompanying the Minister. The theme this year is “Together We Are Better.” This year’s program will showcase how to bridge the gaps of 405 years of history between continents. Ric Murphy, author of “Arrival of the First Africans,” will serve as master of ceremonies. In addition, this year there will be an Angolan art exhibition presented by the Embassy of the Republic of Angola in the United States.
African Landing Day 2024 Commemoration and Soil Mixing Event
Saturday, August 24, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fort Monroe
Come together this weekend to honor the landing of the first enslaved Africans on our shores at Point Comfort – a moment in our country’s history that had and continues to have a profound impact on this land and its people. This ceremony will include cultural honors and recognition as well as youth activities, a Parade of Nations, flower petal ceremony, drumming and bell ringing ceremony. There will be special guest appearances by Sheila Arnold, storyteller, Leah Glenn Dance Theater, KAM Kelly & The DAY Program and Tidewater African Cultural Alliance. There will be special remarks by Hampton Mayor Donnie Tuck, the Tucker family, Senator Maime Locke and others.
Experience the essence of our heritage and history at a soil blending ceremony – honoring the contributions of Native American, European and African cultures. By bringing them together, we hope to reflect the depth and richness of each of these cultural traditions and how they have shaped the Americas.
Day of Healing
Sunday, August 26, 6-8 a.m.
Outlook Beach, Fort Monroe
Join the Fort Monroe Authority, National Park Service, Project 1619 and the Town of Hampton for a day of healing at Fort Monroe’s Outlook Beach. This ceremony offers participants a unique opportunity for healing and soul cleansing. Participants are asked to dress all in white.
###
Photo library
Photos courtesy of Fort Monroe Authority (flyer), Hampton Convention & Visitor Bureau
Partially bordered by the Port of Hampton Roads and the Chesapeake Bay, Hampton, with the
32,500 square meter Hampton Roads Convention Center and the award-winning Hampton
Coliseum, located in the center of Coastal Virginia and the Hampton Roads metropolitan area
area. Hampton is the site of the first continuous English-speaking settlement in America, the site
the first arrival of Africans in English North America and is the home of such visitors
Attractions such as the Virginia Air & Space Science Center, Fort Monroe National Monument,
Hampton History Museum, Hampton University Museum, the American Theatre, among others
Miscellaneous
Attachment
CONTACT: Mahogany Waldon Hampton Convention & Visitor Bureau [email protected]
