4th Annual Newport Juneteenth Celebration set for June 20th – RI Slave History Medallions

The fourth annual Newport Juneteenth celebration will be held Saturday, June 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fort Adams State Park. The event, presented by Rhode Island Slave History Medallions (RISHM), will mark Juneteenth with a Rhode Island 250th anniversary theme this year, expanding the celebration to honor the history of Black and Indigenous people across the state. The parade-ground program will continue with presentations by historians, live music and dance, youth activities, craft vendors and food trucks.

The program will open at 11 a.m. with a parade of re-enactors honoring the flag, followed by tributes from civic leaders, including U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo, Gov. Dan McKee and Newport Mayor Charlie Holder. After a gospel concert, keynote speaker Secretary of State Gregg Amore will address the audience.

Performances tied to the 250th theme span colonial music and militia, Narragansett Indigenous dancing and drumming by a Narragansett family, the Pokanoket Tribe, a djembe reggae concert by master African drummer Sidy Maiga and his band, and a gospel concert by RPM Voices of Rhode Island — capped by a reenactment of the Battle of Rhode Island.

Charles Roberts said, “We are celebrating the shared cultural values of an inclusive American experience with a gospel concert, traditional Native American dancers, African drummers and dancers, a Colonial encampment featuring marching and drilling Colonial soldiers, activities for children and young adults, craft vendors, food trucks and much more – something for people of all ages.”

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation — freeing the enslaved people of the Confederacy more than two years after the order had taken effect.

On Sunday, June 14, Charles Roberts, a re-enactor with the First Rhode Island Regiment (also known as the Black Regiment), received an award from the Westerly Anti-Racism Coalition (ARC) honoring Thomas Ray, a Black and Native American man who enlisted in and served in the Continental Artillery in 1777. After his service, he became an abolitionist, clergyman, lawyer and teacher.

“The annual Newport Juneteenth Celebration and marking the landscape where Black and Indigenous history happened in Rhode Island have been the focus of RISHM’s work since 2019,” Roberts said. “We seek to share the untold stories of those ancestors who walked these historic streets, fields and coastlines before us.”

Admission to the parade grounds is a $10 donation for adults and a $5 donation for teens, and free for children 12 and under. Free parking available. An overnight VIP package is also available; details can be obtained at [email protected]. Tickets are available at SimpleTix.

RISHM is a statewide nonprofit organization working to educate Rhode Islanders about the state’s role in the history of slavery by sharing documented stories of enslaved people whose lives still affect Americans today. More information is available at www.rishm.org.