In honor of Juneteenth, and in conjunction with the Chatham 250 celebration , Chatham Community Library will host a virtual program entitled, “From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans in Chatham County, NC", on Saturday, June 19, 2021, from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm.  This lecture will be presented by Dr. Charles Johnson, Associate Professor and Director of Public History at North Carolina Central University. 

As Director of the Public History Program at NCCU, Dr. Johnson teaches courses on archives and oral traditions, and his research has emphasized preserving local histories of the African American experience as well as Public History in the African Diaspora. Dr. Johnson is an award-winning teacher, and a co-author of the book Topics on African Diaspora History (2016).

Dr. Johnson is the former Director of the South African Research and Archival Project at Howard University where he helped to create a web-accessible database of information on relations between African Americans and South Africans.  He has given lectures, presentations and held fireside chats on three continents and has appeared on television and radio broadcasts in the United States and abroad discussing the Black experience.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day,  is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States. Originating in Galveston, Texas, it is now celebrated annually on the 19th of June throughout the United States, with varying official recognition. It is commemorated on the anniversary date of the June 19, 1865 announcement by Union Army general Gordon Granger, proclaiming freedom from slavery in Texas.

This program is free and open to the public.

Registration for this program is required and is available at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/JohnsonLecture