The Riverhead-based African American Educational and Cultural Festival will host a virtual benefit to celebrate Juneteenth on June 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Juneteenth, or Jubilee Day, is celebrated on June 19 to mark the day the last enslaved African Americans in the United States learned of their emancipation. The benefit will feature music, comedy, history and gospel, according to AAECF’s Director of Entertainment, Samuel Thomas.
“It’s the education of Juneteenth — why Juneteenth is important from multiple people — and then the light hearted aspect of it with the comedy and the music,” Thomas said. “It’s one-size fits all. It’s for everybody to sit down and enjoy and be grateful for how far we’ve come, but also be mindful of how far we still have to go.”
Virtual musical performances for the benefit include the Earth, Wind and Fire Tribute Band, the Leon and the Peoples Reggae band, Winston Irie and a special performance from Hip-Hop Harry.
The benefit will also show two prominent African American films, Thomas said. On Saturday, they will show “Race,” a film about African American athlete Jesse Owens, who competed and won gold metals in the 1936 Olympic games in Nazi Germany. On Sunday, they will show “The Wiz,” a reimagined musical based on “The Wizard of Oz” that features an all Black cast.
The funds from the benefit will go back into funding the festival’s programs to provide resources and programs for underserved communities.
“The money that we get from a benefit and doing things like this are going to greatly enrich the local community, up and down the island and into the city,” Thomas said.
Tickets for the benefit start at $15 per day. Household tickets, which allow for multiple viewers, are $25. You can buy tickets on the AAECF website.
“This celebration has to happen for the understanding of our history,” Thomas said. “The turning point in our existence started on that day. It really became a day of rejoice; an ending of one journey and the beginning of another, which we are still going through.
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