MFA’s Annual Juneteenth Celebration Commemorates Ending of Slavery
Free admission, special programming mark tonight’s event
Tonight the Museum of Fine Arts celebrates Juneteenth, the oldest national commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, with performance art, live graffiti demonstrations, panels, and more. Photo courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts
The Museum of Fine Arts’ fourth annual Juneteenth celebration of the ending of slavery in the United States begins tonight at 5 p.m. Juneteenth recalls the events of June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed in Galveston, Tex., and announced the abolition of slavery in Texas and the emancipation of African American slaves throughout the country. The anniversary has now become a recognized state holiday and/or day of remembrance in many states, including Massachusetts.
The MFA festivities will include performance art, a tour of the museum’s works by artists of color, film screenings, music, and refreshments. Admission is free starting at 4 p.m.
One of the highlights of the celebration is a public forum at 7 p.m., The City Talks: Activate, the latest in a series of free panel discussions related to themes in the MFA’s current exhibition Megacities Asia, on view through July 17. Tonight’s forum will explore the ways artists use protest art as a means of both survival and inspiration.
There will also be music courtesy of local DJ Yvng Pavl, a fashion show featuring local designers Kush Groove, Lana Muse Designs, Kreyol, Blur Visuals, and Diaspora Neckwear, and performance art from Zimbabwean-American artist U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo and live graffiti art produced by Geo Rodriguez and MerkThose.
Guests can view screenings of short films that appeared at this year’s Roxbury International Film Festival, the largest New England film festival dedicated to films for, by, and about people of color, and join tours or talks to learn about works of art in the MFA’s galleries purchased through its Heritage Fund for a Diverse Collection, which funds acquisition of works by American artists of color.
The Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston, celebrates Juneteenth tonight, June 15. Free admission begins at 4 p.m. and Juneteenth events begin at 5 p.m. A full schedule of events can be found here. Directions to the museum can be found here.
Connor Lenahan can be reached at lenahan@bu.edu.
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