Grab Your Free Tickets
Join us for a free day filled with activities for the whole family as we celebrate Juneteenth and the enduring power of Black craftsmanship and artistry!
For generations, African American artisans have shaped history—turning raw materials into powerful narratives that echo across time. From ancestral techniques carried across oceans to bold, contemporary expressions that redefine artistry, Black craftsmanship is a testament to resilience, creativity, and cultural pride.
History comes alive through hands-on craft demonstrations and storytelling. Engage with skilled makers who blend tradition with innovation, witness artistry in action, and discover your own creative voice within this rich legacy.
Get a sneak peek of the day below!
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Brown Sugar Stitchers Quilt Guild, Ongoing
Learn the art of quilting from the Atlanta-based, award-winning Brown Sugar Stitchers Quilt Guild through a series of demonstrations, displays, and hands-on activities.
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Goizueta Children’s Experience
Our newly opened 5,000 square-foot interactive children’s exhibit allows young visitors to explore Atlanta’s history through play, hands-on activities, and immersive storytelling.
We will offer 20 minute timed experiences for families on this high attendance day. Juneteenth attendees will be able to reserve a timed experience upon arrival, while supplies last.
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Family Makers Space, Ongoing
We invite makers of all ages to connect with their creative side through hands–on crafting activities. Be inspired by the stories and crafts that you learn today to leave your own mark and discover the artist in you!
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Historic Craft Demonstrations
Learn the art of historic craft practices including blacksmithing, woodworking, pottery, and textiles. Demonstrations will be led throughout our historic Smith Farm and will be supplemented with enriched material for your self-guided experience.
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Craft Collections: Artifact Pop-Up Display
Explore a selection of curated artifacts from our Collections, highlighting the skill, agency, community, and joy of Black craftsmanship.
Support the work of current makers and artists! Enjoy a vibrant art fair featuring painters, potters, and more. Work will be available for purchase.
Join Atlanta artist and author Robell Awake to discuss his new book A Short History of Black Craft in Ten Objects, in conversation with Dr. Tiffany Momon, Assistant Professor of History at Sewanee: The University of the South. There will be a book signing following the talk.
Ten beautifully illustrated essays tell the stories of handcrafted objects and their makers, providing inspiration and insight into Black history and craftsmanship.
From the enslaved potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina, to Ann Lowe, the couture dressmaker who made Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding dress, to Gullah Geechee sweetgrass basket makers, to the celebrated quilters of Gee’s Bend, A Short History of Black Craft in Ten Objects illuminates the work of generations of Black craftspeople, foregrounding their enduring contributions to American craft.
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Robell Awake is a chairmaker, teacher, and researcher based in Atlanta, Georgia. His work aims to center Black aesthetic traditions and histories through scholarship and craft. His chairs have been acquired by the Art Institute of Chicago, Verso Gallery in New York, and The Center for Craft in Asheville, NC, and he has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Wallpaper, and Fine Woodworking. Awake was recently selected as one of the Dwell 24, Dwell magazine’s awards for the best emerging designers from around the world. He lives in Atlanta.
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Assistant Professor of History
B.S., Tennessee State University; B.A., The University of Memphis; M.A., Middle Tennessee State University; Ph.D, Middle Tennessee State University
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Food Truck Park
Enjoy a variety of culinary offerings from Black-owned food trucks and restaurants available for purchase.
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DJ Bad
Celebrate the joy of Juneteenth with specially curated tracks from DJ Bad!
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On June 19, 1865, a full two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation and two months after Union troops seized Richmond, the capital of the Confederate States of America, the last enslaved African Americans in Texas were declared free people. That momentous date in 1865 was proclaimed Juneteenth and has been celebrated annually since then.
Learn MoreJuneteenth is part of Atlanta History Center’s celebration of the Civic Season, a nationwide initiative encouraging historically-informed civic participation through a two-week activation between Juneteenth and July 4th.
Learn MoreFAQ
Complimentary parking is available in the Parking Deck, first come first served. Front roundabout parking is reserved for accessibility and rideshare drop off only. Ride sharing is encouraged as parking is limited and we anticipate high attendance.
More parking information coming soon!
MARTA bus route 110 stops along Peachtree Road, approximately 15 minutes walking distance from Atlanta History Center.
Manual and electric wheelchairs are available for rental at the Admissions Desk. Wheelchairs are limited in number and available for rental on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are not accepted. Our campus is ADA-compliant.
This event is free; registration is highly encouraged to expedite check-in.
There are no lockers to store personal items or coat check on site.