Saturday, June 16th
18th Annual Fort Greene Brooklyn Juneteenth Arts Festival
Cuyler Gore Park, 12-6PM, 2 Greene Avenue, FREE Music! Dance! Poetry! Artistry! Fashion! Food! Community! History! Presented by the Cooperative Culture Collective hosted by Gha’il Rhodes-Benjamin and Angela Moseley with Richard Green and Graham Witherspoon as speakers.
Performances by Kiara Copeland, Iyaba Mandingo, Javier Gooden, Cinnamon Jones, Sword of Spirit, Kipp Amp Legacy Jazz Band, Fusha Dance Company.
District 16’s Intergenerational Men’s Health Experience
P.S. 21, 180 Chauncey St., 10-2PM, FREE
Dr. Torian Easterling, NYC Dept. of Health Asst. Commissioner; Monique Schubert, Kripalu Yoga Instructor; Ricke Resharde-Rainey, UFC Mixed Martial Arts Fitness Demo; Justin Bright, Bright Pro-Training Basketball Clinic; Jeff Mesine, Professional Stylist;
Epic Theater Ensemble performance, Film Screenings, Fitness Demonstrations, Health and Wellness. Bring your youth, being your father, the men in your life and yourselves! Hard-Hittin’ Harry, filmmaker Dear Father. Javon Peters, filmmaker, # I Can’t Breathe. Enjoy dynamic opportunities to engage your mind, body and spirit!
Akoko Nante Ensemble Pan-African Music & Percussion
Queens Library, Glen Oaks, 3PM, 256-04 Union Turnpike, Queens FREE: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World.” Akoko Nante offers their rendition, along with music from Ghana, Haiti, Cuba and more.
FREE Shredding
Crown Heights North Association, 10AM-2PM, Saint Gregory’s RCC, 991 St. John’s Place @ Bklyn. Ave. Shred papers, documents, books, etc.
Also, free plant giveaway (while they last), 718-774-3834.
Sunday, June 17th
In Recognition of Juneteenth and Father’s Day
Cultural Caravan Community Forums taped live, FREE @ CEMOTAP Center, 135-05 Rockaway Blvd., So. Ozone Park, Queens
Debut taping of live weekly Community Engagement Forums before a studio audience by Cultural Caravan Productions. Louise Dente, host and executive producer, invites the community. 718-804-5810
Tuesday, June 19th
Juneteenth Celebration and Night at the Museums
African Burial Ground National Monument, 26 Wall St., FREE
Celebrate Juneteenth, also known as “Emancipation Day,” one of the most celebrated dates commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States and abroad. Afterwards, spend the evening visiting 15 museums and historic sites in lower Manhattan as part of Night at the Museums. The sites are all within comfortable walking distance of each other.
10:30 AM – Libation Ceremony, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM – Lecture – 1:00 PM – Lecture and book-signing, 3:30 PM – 7:30 PM – “Slavery in New York City,” exhibition from The Gene Alexander Peters Collection of Rare & Historic African-American Artifacts, 4-5PM – Damage Band, 6:30 – 7:30 PM – Lecture by Dr. Sherrill D. Wilson, Urban Anthropologist (212) 637-2019.
Thursday, June 21st
PJ Morton at BAM R&B Festival @ MetroTech Commons, 12-2PM, Jay St, Myrtle & Flatbush. New Orleans-based singer/songwriter PJ Morton performs deeply soulful R&B with a passionate delivery that simultaneously comforts and entrances. A longtime keyboardist for Maroon 5 and music director for Solange, Morton boasts a roster of collaborators that includes Lil’ Wayne, Buster Rhymes and India. Arie. He now tours in support of his self-released studio album, “Gumbo,” which earned him nominations at this year’s Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Song.
Friday, June 22nd
R+R=NOW ft. Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin, Christian Scott, aTunde, Adjuah, Derrick Hodge, Justin Tyson. Also, Taylor McFerrin w/Paul Beaubrun, FREE
Celebrate Brooklyn @Prospect Park Bandshell, PPW at 9th St. Robert Glasper returns to the Bandshell with an exceptional new collection of underground icons in R+R=NOW, which stands for Reflect+Respond=NOW.
Saturday, June 23rd
Celebration of African Culture – CEMOTAP CENTER, 135-05 Rockaway Blvd., 2PM, FREE
Poets Layding Kaliba, Lee Olive Tucker, Tony Mitchelson, E.J. Antonio, jazz by Atiba Kwabena & the Befo Quartet, Gha’il Benjamin;
718-322-8454. Donation: $5, Children $2 @ Commodore Barry Park at Navy St. (Flushing & Park). Annual Opening Day Community Parade, Vocalist Elida Almeida of Cape Verde, Muntu Dance Theater of Chicago, The Reggie Workman Ensemble (jazz legend). Also, African Marketplace, Annual Symposium, Children’s activities, chess tournament and much more! [www.iaafestival.org]
Sunday, June 24th
Central Brooklyn Arts & Culture Walk 2018 – Eastern Parkway bet. Flatbush and Washington Aves., 12-5PM, FREE
Children’s Village, Live Entertainment, Giveaways, The Office of the Brooklyn Borough President in partnership with state Senator Jesse Hamilton, Council member Laurie A. Cumbo, District Leaders Geoffrey Davis and Shirley Patterson.
Thursday, June 28th
The Blues Project featuring Dorrance Dance with Toshi Reagon & Big Lovely
Celebrate Brooklyn @ Prospect Park Bandshell, PPW at 9th St. Powerful music accompanies inspired dancing! Created by Michelle Dorrance, Derick K. Grant, Toshi Reagon and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards.
Saturday, June 30th
47th Annual International African Arts Festival
10AM -9PM, RAIN OR SHINE, Sugg. Donation: $5, Children $2
Commodore Barry Park at Navy St. (Flushing & Park), Annual Opening Day Community Parade, Vocalist Elida Almeida of Cape Verde, Muntu Dance Theater of Chicago, The Reggie Workman Ensemble (jazz legend). Also, African Marketplace, Annual Symposium, Children’s activities, chess tournament and much more! [www.iaafestival.org]
First Annual African World Documentary Film Festival
African Art Festival, June 30
Presented by the 47th Annual IAAF–The Life & Times of Elizabeth Kekly. Free Black seamstress from Petersburg, VA finds opportunities w/DC elite in 1860. (42mins; directed by T. Reid; USA) Showtime: 4PM, Discussion: 4:45PM
The African Who Wanted to Fly
Central African boy dreams of flying and becomes a major actor in the Chinese film industry. (1hr., 10mins.; directed by S. Biffot; Gabon, China) Showtime: 5:00PM, Discussion: 6:15PM
The Honest Struggle
The documentation of a middle-aged ex-Chicago gang chief who strives for successful readjustment “in the free” after spending most of his life behind bars. (58mins.; directed by J. Mashouf, USA) Showtime: 6:30PM, Discussion 7:30PM
Land of Dance
Dance practices in Guinea, West Africa, and the meaning of “traditional” as it stands in terms of Western culture. (17 mins.; directed by I. Camara; Guinea, UK) Showtime: 7:45PM, Discussion: 8:10PM