‘Unity and togetherness:’ Longest-running Charlotte Juneteenth event aims to teach, inspire

When Pape Ndiaye relocated from Senegal to the United States 30 years ago, he had never heard of Juneteenth.

Now, Ndiaye has held one of North Carolina’s longest-running Juneteenth celebrations, with around 20,000 attendees annually since its inception in 1997, according to previous Charlotte Observer reporting.

Juneteenth Festival of the Carolinas, founded by Pape Ndiaye, will host a three-day festival celebrating Juneteenth in Charlotte from June 13-16 in Plaza Midwood. June 19 marks Juneteenth, a holiday marking June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay in Texas, and freed Black people who had remained under Confederate control long after the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863.

“We do Africa, we believe that we are ambassadors of a whole continent,” he told The Charlotte Observer.

Ndiaye originally moved to the US to open an art shop called “House of Africa” in New York City. The shop sells antique and contemporary pieces from all over Africa.

While traveling across the country, he fell in love with Charlotte and opened another House of Africa location at 1215 Thomas Ave.

While there, a friend informed him about Juneteenth and its significance.

Ndiaye wanted to use the unofficial holiday to bring the community together and share African culture, he said.

“Using [Juneteenth] as a tool to educate about Africa, that’s how it started,” Ndiaye said about the inspiration behind the festival.

This year, the festival will celebrate 27 years of operation in North Carolina and feature a lineup of activities and experiences for the Charlotte community to enjoy.

“It means a whole lot to me because, like I said when I got here, there was no Juneteenth to be found, and [Juneteenth Festival of the Carolinas] has given birth to Juneteenth in Charlotte and the surrounding areas.”

Ndiaye said a youth camp will be held on Thursday, June 13, to teach children about African culture. The camp will include jewelry making, mask making, and African dance instruction.

‘Bringing all people together’ on Juneteenth

“We believe in African culture that the children are our future,” he said.

On Friday, June 14, there will be the inaugural drum circle at Plaza Midwood to celebrate the occasion with dancing and playing of drums, something Ndiaye said will be used as an activity to educate attendees on its meaning to African culture.

“We believe in communication; in African culture, drums are communication,” he said.

Saturday features an array of events, including a unity march, the festival’s opening ceremony, and live entertainment. For Ndiaye, the march “is a symbol of the closeness of the Charlotte community,” he said.

“Unity and togetherness, bringing all people together,” Ndiaye said regarding the significance of the march.

Novant Health will also provide free diabetes and high blood pressure screenings along with other health services provided by First Care Health Clinic, said Ndiaye.

The final day of the ceremony will feature a gospel event and live entertainment, as well as a closing ceremony.

Awards will be given at the festival to those who have positively impacted the Charlotte community. A scholarship will be given in the name of Judge Shirley Fulton, the first female African-American superior judge in North Carolina, who died in 2023.

Ndiaye wants people at the event to be unified by the celebration.

“Blood is maybe thicker than water, but it is the water of life that keeps all of us connected,” he said.

This story was originally published June 5, 2024 at 1:31 PM.