Farmingville, NY – Supervisor Ed Romaine has announced that the Town of Brookhaven will host the “Juneteenth Art Celebration” at Town Hall from Wednesday, June 15 to Friday, July 15. The exhibit is co-sponsored by the Town of Brookhaven and the Town’s Black History Commission. An opening reception will be held on Wednesday, June 15 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm on the second-floor mezzanine at Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill in Farmingville. The Juneteenth Art Celebration viewing hours will be Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. For more information, or to inquire about having your artwork included, call 540-632-1777 or email thunter.of.colors@gmail.com.
In addition to the Juneteenth Art Celebration, the Town will hold its annual Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration on Saturday, June 18 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Town’s historic Longwood Estate, 205 Longwood Road in Ridge. This year’s event is in recognition of the 157th anniversary of the end of slavery in 1865. Included is a BBQ picnic, games, music, dancing and activities for the entire family. For more information and to make a reservation, go to www.BrookhavenNY.gov/Juneteenth.
About the Town of Brookhaven Black History Commission: In 1991, a Black History Month Committee was formed in observance of Black History Month. Two years later, the Town Board established a permanent Black History Commission to provide continuity in planning and organizing a Black History Night celebration every February. The purpose of these celebrations is to acknowledge and honor the contributions of national and local African Americans, nationally and locally, while fostering an appreciation for their culture and heritage. In 2014, the Town board recognized that celebrating African American culture should not be limited to one specific month, so they unanimously passed a resolution expanding and broadening the scope of the Black History Commission. The commission now works on year-round programming to promote black history and culture in the Town of Brookhaven through events and community outreach.
