2020 Juneteenth Celebration

Join The Griot Museum of Black History for its 3rd annual Juneteenth Celebration and Art Show featuring original art for sale and auction, music, poetry, and more.

Each year, this event commemorates Juneteenth and serves as a fundraiser to help ensure the longevity of The Griot Museum, which honors Black history, culture, and heritage in the St. Louis community.

Because we are “safer at home,” this year’s event will comprise a live virtual experience on The Griot Museum’s Facebook page on June 28th (4 pm CST). Join us here: https://www.facebook.com/TheGriotTellsOurStory/

The art show and sale will feature original pieces donated primarily by local artists and collectors to support the Griot Museum of Black History. Bidding and payments for artworks will be facilitated online via Facebook.

We will keep you posted via Facebook and Eventbrite for any updates.

For any inquiries, please email [email protected].

Joining the Art Sale & Auction:

Since this is our first effort of executing a virtual event, we ask for your patience, understanding, and that you pardon any unintended errors or inconveniences.

Despite the novelty of this year’s event, our artists have come through once again and provided a wonderful array of artistic expressions for you to purchase. Whether you are a seasoned or beginner collector, we know you will be pleased.

Your close attention to the following information will ensure that you have a wonderful experience. Thank you for your support. Now, let’s buy that art and celebrate!

Things to Know Before the Event

—40 Acres and a Mule Art Show and Sale are original pieces donated primarily by local artists to support the Griot Museum of Black History. Others are from private collectors and collections.

—To participate, you will be required to register with your contact information and a form of payment. If by credit card, that information must be provided and a maximum spending limit authorized.

—All purchases are final, no returns or exchanges

How to Purchase $40 Works:

—Each piece measures a total of 40 inches and can be yours for a contribution of $40.00.

—You will be able to review these works from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

—At exactly 4:40 p.m., you will be able to select your piece(s).

You will have 4 minutes to make your selection and 4 additional minutes to finalize your transaction.

Transactions not complete after 4 minutes will return to the pool and be made available to other collectors.

How to Purchase Auction Art:

—Some of these pieces have minimum bid prices as low as $40.

—Each bid must be raised in $40 increments.

—The person with the winning bid will have 4 minutes to finalize their transaction.

—Transactions not complete after 4 minutes will return to the pool and be made available to other bidders.

About Juneteenth

June 19,1865 commemorates the day on which enslaved Blacks in Galveston, Texas were notified that the Civil War had ended which effectively abolished slavery in all the Confederate States of America. Six months earlier, after hearing from 20 Black ministers that land ownership was key to self-sufficiency, General William T. Sherman issued Special Field Order No.15, allotting up to 40 acres of farmland to approximately four million African Americans. To help make their farms successful, the government allowed some of the farmers to use government mules to help them get the work done. This is the origin of the phrase “40 Acres and a Mule.”

RSVP on Facebook