India Arie, Earth Wind & Fire to perform at virtual Juneteenth Unityfest
The event will also include appearances from Jesse Williams, Phylicia Rashad, Billy Porter, and more
In celebration of Juneteenth, a virtual festival hosted by Amanda Seales and JB Smoove is coming to our screens this Saturday.
The event will include musical performances including from GRAMMY-winning artists India Arie and Ledisi, comedy, storytelling, and appearances from civic leaders, according to a press release from the Robert Randolph Foundation, which is organizing the event titled the Juneteenth Unityfest.
“With only a little over a week left before the festival, we could not be more excited to make this event come to life. We are beyond grateful to all of the artists, guests, and sponsors who have helped us create a space to celebrate and reflect on what it means to be Black in America,” said Robert Randolph, founder of the Robert Randolph Foundation.
“Juneteenth is an important day in not just Black but American history; it serves as a reminder to remember the past, acknowledge our progression, and take collective action toward creating a better future.” According to the RRF, the Juneteenth Unityfest is meant to celebrate the “breadth and depth of Black culture”.
So far, the guestlist for the 2021 Juneteenth Unityfest is glittering with celebrities, including but not limited to Phylicia Rashad, Billy Porter, Jesse Williams, Levar Burton, Van Jones, and 94-year-old activist Ms. Opal Lee.
The sounds of Earth, Wind & Fire, Black Pumas, Nile Rogers & CHIC, and Bebe Winans are also slated for the program. This year’s celebration will also feature two special airings of rock legend Jimi Hendrix’s 1970 performances in Atlanta, which was the biggest of his career and occurred during civil rights unrest.
Last Friday, RFF also released a new video previewing the event.
In addition to those luminaries, the Juneteenth Unityfest will also highlight some of our nation’s HBCUs and community organizations, including Benedict College, Fisk University, Lincoln University, and Mississippi Valley State University.
Among the many organizations partnering are Heal America, The Africa Center, The African American Museum of Philadelphia, African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, beGirl.world, The Hip Hop Caucus, The HollyRod Foundation, The Muhammad Ali Center, Reel Works, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Usher’s New Look, and many others. A full list of partnering organizations can be found on the Juneteenth Unityfest official website.
Viewers can tune in to the festival via the Juneteenth Unityfest website, Ebony.com and LiveXLive.com starting at 5 pm/ET – 2 pm/PT on June 19th.
For updates, festival-goers can also follow the website’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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