The annual Lowcountry Juneteenth Week Festival (J19 Week) returns with a lineup of events celebrating freedom, resilience, and cultural heritage. Now in its sixth year, J19 Week invites the entire community to gather, reflect, and celebrate.
This year’s J19 Week luncheon (Tuesday, June 16 at Middleton Place National Historic Landmark) honors Dr. Cleveland Sellers, Jr. — a towering figure in the American Civil Rights Movement and a living witness to history. Dr. Sellers is widely known for his courageous activism and central role in the Orangeburg Massacre of February 8, 1968 where South Carolina Highway Patrol officers opened fire on students peacefully protesting segregation at South Carolina State University, killing three young men and wounding dozens more.
Wounded that evening, wrongfully imprisoned, and later exonerated for his activism, Dr. Sellers has spent decades ensuring the truth of Orangeburg is remembered. Attendees will have a rare and intimate opportunity for an up-close and personal conversation about his life, legacy, and the ongoing work of freedom.
J19 Week continues with an evening of live music on the grounds of the North Charleston Admiral’s House (1100 Navy Way) on Thursday, June 18 at 6:30 p.m. Jazz Under the Stars features acclaimed artists Jeanette Harris and Reggie Graves & Jazz Theory — delivering a soulful performance under the open Lowcountry sky. Tickets are available at J19Week.com or by searching Lowcountry Juneteenth on Eventbrite.com.