Fletcher Free Library, Burlington

The Vermont Racial Justice Alliance and Fletcher Free Library presents the 1619: Arrival of the First Africans Traveling Exhibit from the Hampton History Museum (VA). Drawing on the latest research, this exhibit tells the story of the Africans' home in Angola, how they came to be enslaved aboard a Spanish slave ship San Juan Bautista, the terrible 10,000 nautical mile voyage that brought them to Virginia, and their lives on the farms and plantations in the new colony.

This exhibit follows the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance sponsored First African Landing Vermont Commemoration (August 24, 2019) and is designed to honor the spirit of the 400 Year African American History Commission - to recognize and highlight the resilience and contributions of African-Americans since 1619; acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that enforced racial discrimination [have] on the United States; and educate the public about the arrival of Africans to the [English colonial] United States and the contributions of African-Americans to the United States.

The exhibit will open at Fletcher Free Library on December 6th at 1:00 PM with a community reception and remain on display until a closing community commemorative ceremony on December 15th at 5:00 PM.

Details on how you can sponsor or support the event can be found here: https://firstafricanlandingvt.wordpress.com/support/