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African Landing Day
On a hot summer day in August 1619, a moment of profound consequence unfolded on the shores of what’s now Hampton, Virginia. It was here that the first enslaved Africans from present day Angola were brought to English North America, marking the beginning of a harrowing chapter in history. On August 23-24 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.
Project 1619, Inc. and partners, the Fort Monroe Authority, National Park Service and the City of Hampton, invite the public to the 2025 African Landing Day Commemoration. This significant event will take place on Saturday, August 23, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Continental Park, Fort Monroe. The Commemoration will feature remarks by Dijimon Hounsou, a two-time Oscar nominee and founder of the Djimon Hounsou Foundation. 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. Enjoy food trucks from 9 AM–3 PM. Weather permitting.
These events will be simultaneously conducted and live-streamed on the Project 1619, Inc. YouTube Channel.
