Here in Hampton, Virginia, Juneteenth holds special meaning. This city is not only where the first Africans in English North America arrived in 1619—it’s also where Fort Monroe earned the nickname “Freedom’s Fortress” during the Civil War because it served as a refuge for thousands of enslaved people fleeing the Confederacy, and where the Emancipation Proclamation was first read in the South, beneath the legendary Emancipation Oak at Hampton University.
With such powerful ties to African American history, Hampton is the perfect place to honor Juneteenth. From engaging museum exhibits to meaningful community events, there are many ways to reflect, celebrate, and learn. Here’s how you can take part in this year’s Juneteenth commemorations in Hampton:
2026 Juneteenth Events
Sankofa’s 15th Annual Remembrance Ceremony
Saturday, June 13 from 11 AM – 2 PM at Outlook Beach at Fort Monroe
Remembrance is a spiritual ceremony honoring the millions of African men, women, and children who perished during the Middle Passage of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
The day’s events will include an annual Ceremonial Remembrance Walk around the Tree of Remembrance, a procession to the water, poetry, drumming and traditional songs and theatrical performances. At 12 pm an International Libation will occur simultaneously across the United States.
Navigating Freedom: Celebrate Juneteenth Hampton VA250 Sail
Friday, June 19 from 9 am – 6 pm at Fort Monroe
Join us at Fort Monroe on June 19 for a day-long celebration of history, culture and freedom. View the Sail250® Virginia Parade of Sail, a major maritime event featuring international tall ships and military vessels, at the Fort Monroe seawall as it makes its way to downtown Norfolk. Enjoy a powerful Juneteenth celebration with cultural displays, performers, live music, food and vendors.
A Juneteenth Pageant – The Play
June 19 & 20 at The American Theatre
An Evening of History, Music, Laughter and Secrets! This moving, often humorous, and memorable experience illuminates the origins and meaning of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. You will laugh and you may cry; most of all you will leave enlightened to the true meaning of Juneteenth, also known as ‘Freedom Day!’
Black Expo of Hampton Roads
Saturday, June 20 from 11 am – 8 pm at Hampton Roads Convention Center
Join us for a day of Culture, Commerce, and Community! In partnership with the City of Hampton, the Black Expo of Hampton Roads celebrates Black Culture and Commerce. Known as the “Mall of Black Excellence”, the Black Expo of Hampton Roads features a multitude of Black-owned Businesses, networking, and educational seminars, and live entertainment. Admission is free (with registration) but space is limited.
Public Tour – The Movement of a Legacy
Saturdays (through Labor Day Weekend) at 1 pm at Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center
The African Landing Memorial is a one-of-a-kind sculpture and site, which is designated as a UNESCO Site of Memory on the Slave Route Project, that commemorates a singular moment that reverberates through the fabric of more than 400 years of American history—the landing of the first Africans in Virginia in August 1619, at Point Comfort. The memorial site and future art reflect the true narrative of the events leading to the creation of the institution of slavery in what later became the United States. Collectively, the memorial, supported by interpretive and educational programs, provides an opportunity for national and international audiences to openly discuss together their pasts to foster a new understanding of the nation’s beginning.
Free 45-minute guided tour – No Registration Required.
5th Annual Juneteenth Jubilee- Celebrating Fathers and ALL Families
Sunday, June 21 from 11:30 AM – 7 PM at Mill Point Park in Downtown Hampton
It’s a Fun Family Reunion Health, Wellness, Live Entertainment, Activities, vendors and more. Celebrate Fathers Day, All Families and Juneteenth! Free admission.
Health Screenings, Live entertainment , Community Resources, Vendors, Activities and more! Back by Popular Demand the Legendary Greg “Sugar Bear” Elliott and the EU Band will perform @ the 5th Annual Juneteenth Jubilee Celebrating Fathers and all Families Sunday June 21st @ Mill Point Park. The Celebration will end with a Go-Go party.
More Ways to Explore While You’re Here
Visit the Hampton History Museum’s Revolutionary Hampton: Journeys of Liberty exhibit to learn about Joseph Harris, an enslaved harbor pilot from Hampton who escaped to British ships during the American Revolution. His fight for liberty helped lead to the Battle of Hampton and inspire Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation, which offered freedom to enslaved people who joined the British.
Picturing Freedom: Harriet Tubman and the Combahee River Raid is currently on display at the Hampton University, the nation’s oldest African-America museum. Organized by the Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC, this exhibition is inspired by Dr. Edda Fields-Black’s 2025 Pulitzer Prize Award-Winning Book, Combee: Harriet Tubman, The Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War, and features photographs by renowned environmental photographer J. Henry Fair alongside paintings, sculpture, and other works by 20th and 21st century American artists that visually explore the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman and the Combahee River Raid.
- Flip through our Family Tree to learn more about the history makers that changed life in Hampton and our nation.
- Get the Hampton Black History Sites Pass. Access is free & the link is texted to your phone. Use the pass to ‘check-in’ as you visit African American heritage sites during your trip.
- History lovers pack your headphones and listen to our free cell phone tour for a curated, self-guided tour of Hampton.