EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — This year, the Township will support a Juneteenth event for the first time. “An Homage to Our Legacy and Juneteenth Celebration,” organized in cooperation with the Lost Souls Public Memorial Project, will take place on Saturday, June 15, starting at 1:30 p.m.
The free event is open to the public and suitable for all ages. It will be held at the East Brunswick Community Arts Center, located at 721 Cranbury Road.
Before the program begins, guests are invited to a reception with refreshments at 1:30 p.m. The event will highlight the idea that “a picture is worth a thousand words”—exploring visual storytelling and the narratives that accompany them.
Trustees of the Lost Souls Public Memorial Project (LSP) will offer a warm welcome to attendees and provide updates on the project’s ongoing work.
Kristal Langford, Vice President and Historian of the Lost Souls Public Memorial Project, will deliver a talk on how General Order No. 3—issued on June 19, 1865, now celebrated as Juneteenth—truly brought freedom to Eliza and her descendants.
The memorial will be brought to life by Amber Betances, a New Jersey native, New York-based landscape architect, and Rutgers University alumna.
Throughout the event, visitors will have the chance to browse a flip book featuring a selection of photos designed to spark ideas for the memorial garden’s design.
The multi-percussion instrumental group Marshall Hand & Drum Ensemble will also perform, bringing the drumming traditions of the African Diaspora to life as part of “An Homage to Our Legacy.”
Poet Liane Stone (also known as Golden Sapphyre), a New Jersey resident, will recite an original poem inspired by the Lost Souls.
Following remarks from East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen, Council President Kevin McEvoy, and Council Vice President Dana Zimbicki, and an African drumming performance by the Black Circle Symphony, the Juneteenth flag will be raised by local Scouts.
For more details about the event, visit: https://lostsoulsmemorialnj.org/event/homage/
About the Lost Souls Public Memorial Project
The Lost Souls Public Memorial Project of New Jersey is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the lives of Black men, women, and children who were forcibly sold into slavery in the United States. In 1818, they were transported from New Jersey and surrounding areas to plantations in the Deep South by individuals holding public trust. The project seeks to raise awareness of these individuals’ stories while recognizing their humanity.
Visit https://lostsoulsmemorialnj.org/ for additional information.
