Juneteenth Jubilee

A publication of the Vineyard Gazette Media Group

Publisher Jane Seagrave

Production Director

McKinley Sanders

Contributing Writer Skip Finley

Ad Production

Jared Maciel, Jane McTeigue, McKinley Sanders

Director of Sales & Marketing

Skip Finley

Sales Manager

Frederica Carpenter

Sales Team

Marketing Consultant

Kharma Finley-Wallace

Business Manager Sarah Gifford

The Martha’s Vineyard Juneteenth Jubilee insert is published by the Vineyard Gazette Media Group, P.O. Box 66, Edgartown, MA 02539, vineyardgazette. com, and is distributed free on Martha’s Vineyard. Copyright 2023. No portion of this publication may be reprinted without the express written permission of the publisher. Every effort has been made to confirm the accuracy of the information in this publication, and the data is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. For advertising and editorial inquiries, contact publisher@mvgazette.com.

Martha’s Vineyard is proud to welcome the freedom schooner Amistad as the Island celebrates Juneteenth Jubilee 2023 with the theme Free as the Wind. The public is invited to tour the ship and participate in the many other events and activities planned for the three-day weekend.

The newest federal holiday, Juneteenth – short for June Nineteenth -- marks the day in 1865 when slavery effectively ended in the United States. Black Americans have long marked the occasion with festivities including picnics, music, games and lectures that celebrate freedom, joy and justice for all.

This year, Juneteenth Jubilee on Martha’s Vineyard will include ample opportunities for both fun and education. Food tastings, panel discussions, musical events and more are listed on pages 14-15 of this program guide.

The theme, Free as the Wind, highlights a particular role played by Martha’s Vineyard and other coastal communities in the years leading up to Emancipation.

While most enslaved Africans arrived in America aboard ships, less well known is the significant role of the seagoing vessels in facilitating escapes. The best known example may be the case of the Amistad, which became famous after a group of enslaved Africans led a successful revolt against their captors in 1839 and ultimately won their freedom in the U.S. Supreme Court.

A replica of the historic ship will drop anchor on Martha’s Vineyard for the weekend. Organized by the Vineyard Gazette Media Group, and sponsored by Vineyard Wind, the Amistad’s arrival on Friday, June 16 will kick off the packed, three-day holiday weekend.

The Vineyard Gazette Media Group is grateful to the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce, Cape Cod Five, the HistoryMakers, and Toyota for sponsoring the weekend events, and to Vineyard Wind, for bringing the Amistad to the Island. We would also like to thank the Massachusetts Cultural Council for its support.

Funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism.