Jonkonnu at Stagville 2023

Historic Stagville is a State Historic Site that preserves the remnants of the one of the largest sites of slavery in North Carolina: the Bennehan and Cameron plantations. By 1860, over 900 people were enslaved here, across 30,000 acres of land.Today, Stagville is entirely dedicated to teaching about the history of slavery at Stagville. Our site interprets the lives, families, culture, and work of enslaved people on the Bennehan and Cameron plantations.Historic Stagville is free and open to the public with guided tours at 11, 1, and 3 on Tuesday-Saturday. Call in advance for groups, field trips, or private tours.

Historic Stagville State Historic Site

Celebrate Jonkonnu, a historic African American holiday tradition, with Historic Stagville and St Sya Academy!

Durham artists and St Sya Academy students will perform at Horton Grove on December 9 to honor Jonkonnu, a masquerade celebration with roots in West Africa and the Caribbean.After the performance, join the lead artists around the bonfire for stories about Jonkonnu's international connections, past and present.Jonkonnu masquerade traditions connect African diaspora communities across the Atlantic. In North Carolina, people of African descent resisted cultural erasure by preserving Jonkonnu's dance, drum, and costume traditions through generations of enslavement. Stagville is one of the rare sites in North America with primary source documentation of Jonkonnu.

Event detailsThe performance will be outdoors at Horton Grove, with storytelling and drumming around the bonfire afterwards. You are welcome to bring your own chairs or blankets to sit. This event will be outside, so dress warmly! Parking will be in the grass lot on Jock Road.The program includes includes walking in low light and over uneven surfaces. Please contact our staff at info@stagville.org with any questions about accessibility.How much does it cost to attend Jonkonnu at Stagville?This event is $5 (+ fees) for general admission, free for children under 12. General admission tickets are also available at the door for cash only, without extra fees.Admission is free for the families of St Sya students, and for Stagville descendants. Please click "get tickets" to register for this free admission!

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Jonkonnu at Stagville 2023

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