Fort Monroe will host African Landing Commemoration Week, August 22–29, 2026, bringing together descendants, community members, historians, cultural organizations, civic leaders, educators, faith communities, and the public for a week of remembrance, reflection, learning, and public engagement.
The commemoration will honor the first recorded landing of Africans in English North America, which took place at Point Comfort, now Fort Monroe, in 1619. More than 400 years later, Fort Monroe remains a place where the nation is called to confront the origins of slavery, recognize the resilience of African-descended people, and reflect on the ongoing meaning of freedom.
Throughout the week, programs will explore themes of memory, resilience, descendant engagement, cultural connection, and the long arc of freedom — from the 1619 landing to the 1861 Contraband Decision and beyond.
Jump to schedule:
- Saturday, Aug. 22 – African Landing Day
- Sunday, Aug. 23
- Monday, Aug. 24
- Tuesday, Aug. 25
- Wednesday, Aug. 26
- Thursday, Aug. 27
- Friday, Aug. 28
- Saturday, Aug. 29 – Ceremonies of Remembrance & African Landing Memorial Unveiling
Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026
African Landing Day
Aug. 22 from 9 AM – 2 PM at Fort Monroe
On August 22 commemoration events will be held to honor the first Africans brought here in 1619 and to highlight their legacy of culture, identity, resistance and triumph. There will also be an International Bell Ringing Ceremony, where bells will toll to honor the first enslaved Africans who arrived at Point Comfort, now Fort Monroe, in August 1619.
Free and open to all! Join in this participatory event—come dressed comfortably with walking shoes. Seating is limited, so bring folding chairs or blankets, and water bottles.
Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026
Ancestral Cleansing & Spiritual Healing Ceremony
Aug. 23 at 6 AM at Outlook Beach
The sunrise healing service for African Landing Day is an early morning spiritual cleansing and renewal ceremony. The cleansing ceremony, honoring the water as a site of both trauma and renewal. This ritual creates space to release, reflect, and prepare for what follows.
Healing Beyond Survival: Mental Health in the African Diaspora
Aug. 23 at 3 PM at the Fort Monroe Visitor Center
This panel discussion will dive into how we deal personally and as a community with the trauma and mental health of our shared history. The event is free and open to the public.
SPACE IS LIMITED and registration is requested. Registered guests will be seated first.
“The History of We” storytelling
Aug. 23 at 8 PM & 8:30 PM at Fort Monroe
Experience an awe-inspiring picture book about the origin and advancement of humans, from #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Nikkolas Smith!
Fossil records show that the first humans were born in Africa. Meaning, every person on Earth can trace their ancestry back to that continent. The History of We celebrates our shared ancestors’ ingenuity and achievements and imagines what these firsts would have looked and felt like.
For ages 8 and up, this inspiring author will offer his own reading of the book as we view his award-winning artwork.
Monday, Aug. 24, 2026
West African Youth Dance Workshop with The DAY Program
Mon, Aug. 24 at 3:30 PM at the Fort Monroe YMCA
African Landing Commemoration would not be complete without traditional West African Dance!! Join Hampton’s own, The DAY Program with special guest instructor Yusef Payton for a youth West African Dance Workshop!!
The activity is free and open to youth ages 8 to 18. SPACE IS LIMITED and registration is required.
Youth West African Drum Workshop with The DAY Program
Mon, Aug. 24 at 5:30 PM at the Fort Monroe YMCA
African Landing Commemoration would not be complete without traditional West African Drumming!! Join Hampton’s own, The DAY Program for a youth West African Drumming Workshop!!
The activity is free and open to youth ages 8 to 18. SPACE IS LIMITED and registration is required.
Art Walk Spoken Word/Poetry Night
Monday, Aug. 24 from 5:30-7 PM at 110 Gallery & Art Central Gallery in Phoebus
The evening will feature powerful spoken word performances hosted by Emcee Rob Holmes, celebrating African American history, culture, resilience, and creativity. Guests are also encouraged to explore participating galleries during the Phoebus Art Walk, including 110 Gallery and Art Central Gallery.
“The History of We” storytelling
Aug. 24 at 8 PM & 8:30 PM at Fort Monroe
Experience an awe-inspiring picture book about the origin and advancement of humans, from #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Nikkolas Smith!
Fossil records show that the first humans were born in Africa. Meaning, every person on Earth can trace their ancestry back to that continent. The History of We celebrates our shared ancestors’ ingenuity and achievements and imagines what these firsts would have looked and felt like.
For ages 8 and up, this inspiring author will offer his own reading of the book as we view his award-winning artwork.
Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026
Beach Meditation and Yoga
Aug. 25 at 7 AM at Outlook Beach, Fort Monroe
Come spend a morning exercising your physical, mental and emotional health with The DAY Program. This program will help you focus on self-care and healthy living. Free; Registration is requested.
Community West African Dance Workshop with The DAY Program
Aug. 25 at 3 PM at the Fort Monroe YMCA
African Landing Commemoration would not be complete without traditional West African Dance! Join Hampton’s own, The DAY Program with special guest instructor Yusef Payton for an all ages West African Dance Workshop.
All ages welcome. The activity is free and open to the public. SPACE IS LIMITED and registration is required.
Community West African Drum Workshop with The DAY Program
Aug. 25 at 5:30 PM at Building 75, Fort Monroe
African Landing Commemoration would not be complete without traditional West African Drumming! Join Hampton’s own, The DAY Program for a youth West African Drumming Workshop
All ages welcome. The activity is free and open to the public. SPACE IS LIMITED and registration is required.
“The History of We” storytelling
Aug. 25 at 8 PM & 8:30 PM at Fort Monroe
Experience an awe-inspiring picture book about the origin and advancement of humans, from #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Nikkolas Smith!
Fossil records show that the first humans were born in Africa. Meaning, every person on Earth can trace their ancestry back to that continent. The History of We celebrates our shared ancestors’ ingenuity and achievements and imagines what these firsts would have looked and felt like.
For ages 8 and up, this inspiring author will offer his own reading of the book as we view his award-winning artwork.
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026
Building Your Genealogical Story; Panel Discussion
Aug 26 at 4 PM at the Fort Monroe Visitor Center
This panel discussion will dive into a discussion with Regina Brayboy and Renate Sanders about researching and discovering your own genealogy. The event is free and open to the public.
SPACE IS LIMITED and registration is requested. Registered guests will be seated first.
The Story in the Stitches: Interpreting The Figures
Aug. 26 at 6 PM at the Fort Monroe Visitor Center
What are they wearing and why? It’s a common question we hear. As part of African Landing Commemoration Week, join us for this special Community Forum as we explore in detail the design of The Figures, the first sculpture of the African Landing Memorial at Fort Monroe. We will share the extensive research, multi-institutional collaboration, and community care that went in to dressing The Figures, including how the selected clothing illuminates the lived experience of the wearer.
The event is free and open to the public. SPACE IS LIMITED and registration is requested.
“The History of We” LIVE with Nikkolas Smith
Aug. 26: Book Signing at 7 PM, Reading at 8 PM at Fort Monroe
Come and experience an outdoor, projected LIVE reading of “The History of We” by author and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Nikkolas Smith!
Fossil records show that the first humans were born in Africa. Meaning, every person on Earth can trace their ancestry back to that continent. The History of We celebrates our shared ancestors’ ingenuity and achievements and imagines what these firsts would have looked and felt like.
For ages 8 and up, this inspiring author will offer his own reading of the book as we view his award-winning artwork. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is requested. This is an outdoor event.
Come early at 7:00pm to get a free book (while supplies last) and have it signed by Nikkolas!
Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026
Another View LIVE at The African Landing Memorial Statue
Aug. 27 at 11 AM at the African Landing Memorial, Fort Monroe
Come be a part of our live audience, when Another View travels to Fort Monroe to talk about one of a kind statue at the former base. The statue will sit in the center of the African Landing Memorial, which opened earlier this year. It speaks to 1619, when the first enslaved Africans reached the shores of America at Hampton’s Old Point Comfort, also known as Ft. Monroe.
Be sure to register and reserve your spot for this important discussion, as Another View takes a deep dive into this important piece of American history.
A Conversation with Descendants of the White Lion
Aug. 27 at 4 PM at the Fort Monroe Visitor Center
In this segment of the Afrcian Landing Commemoration Symposium descendant families of the White Lion and later ships (1619 – 1628) to the English Colony will discuss identity, knowledge about their history, research and what to do with it as a collective.
The event is free and open to the public. SPACE IS LIMITED and registration is requested.
Black Expo Unity Market
Aug. 27 from 5-8 PM at Oozlefinch Beers & Blending
Celebrate culture, community, and entrepreneurship at the Black Expo Unity Market, part of the African Landing Commemoration Week. Join us on Thursday, August 27, 2026, from 5–8 p.m. at Oozlefinch Beers & Blending at Fort Monroe for an evening dedicated to supporting Black-owned businesses and local entrepreneurs.
Words Matter; Remembering the Enslaved
Aug 27 at 6 PM at the Fort Monroe Visitor Center
A lecture with Project 1619 and special guests on the difference between historical terms, how they work differently when we tell the history, and why it’s important to use them appropriately.
The event is free and open to the public. SPACE IS LIMITED and registration is requested.
Friday, Aug. 28 2026
A Journey with Journalists; a lecture
Aug. 28 at 4 PM at the Fort Monroe Visitor Center
The William Tucker 1624 Society and The African Landing Commemoration Symposium present a conversation with former journalists from USA Today’s 1619: Searching for Answers series will discuss the journey to Angola with descendant Dr. Wanda Tucker.
The event is free and open to the public. SPACE IS LIMITED and registration is requested.
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026
National Ceremony of Remembrance & Renewal
Aug. 29 from 9 AM – 1 PM at Fort Monroe
Join us as we unveil the first addition to the African Landing memorial, sculptures representing Virginia’s first African American family. Set within one of America’s most significant historic landscapes, the ceremony will illuminate the power of place to deepen our understanding of the past while inspiring a shared commitment to a more just and inclusive future.
- 9 AM: 407 Years of Remembrance with the William Tucker 1624 Society at the Bandstand in Continental Park
- 10:30 AM: Descendants Procession; Walk to African Landing Memorial for unveiling ceremony.
- 11 AM: National Ceremony of Remembrance & Renewal and Unveiling of the African Landing Memorial
African Inspired Bead Making; An Art Class
Aug. 29 at 2 PM at Oyster Catcher Gallery, Fort Monroe
Continue a day of Commemoration with hands on African Inspired Bead making class with renowned African American Artist Jenita Landrom! Supplies are provided and there is no cost to participants.
Ages 16 & up. Free. SPACE IS LIMITED and registration is required.
Plan Your Visit
After the ceremony and activities, stick around Fort Monroe to uncover the lesser-told stories of history. Take a break for lunch without leaving the fort, then spend the afternoon experiencing all this remarkable place has to offer.
Begin at the Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center to view the indoor exhibit that highlights the role of Fort Monroe as a refuge for “Contraband” during the Civil War. While there, pick up a walking tour map or directions to nearby points of interest, like the First African Marker. To fully immerse yourself in our nation’s past, consider following the Fort Monroe Cell Phone Tour as you make your way through the grounds.
PS: Don’t forget to ‘check-in’ on your Hampton Black History Sites Pass as you go!