Free August 1st event will bring together Caribbean consuls general, elected officials, families and cultural performers for an afternoon centered on freedom across the Caribbean and the United States
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Under the auspices of Broward County Commissioner Hazelle P. Rogers, the African American Research Library and Cultural Center, in partnership with Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, will present Emancipation Day: Freedom Across the Caribbean on Saturday, August 1, 2026, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale.
The free, family-friendly celebration, sponsored in part by Becker & Poliakoff, will bring together Caribbean consuls general, elected officials, performers, educators, authors, families and community members for an afternoon of music, storytelling, hands-on activities, food and conversation. Presented with Commissioner Rogers, who has helped champion Caribbean heritage and independence celebrations in South Florida for more than 20 years, the event builds on her long-standing commitment to honoring the region’s diverse communities.
The African American Research Library and Cultural Center is one of South Florida’s most important anchors for African American life, scholarship and community gathering. Island SPACE is a unique pan-Caribbean institution dedicated to sharing the stories of Caribbean people and their descendants. Their partnership with Commissioner Rogers creates a meaningful setting for people of many backgrounds to learn, reflect and celebrate together around one of the central ideas in the American story: freedom.
What Guests Can Expect
The afternoon will feature performances and oral histories by the Jamaica Folk Revue, a steel pan session and lesson with Mello Groove Steel Orchestra, kids story time with authors, mask making, craft activities, informational displays and an Emancipation exhibit hosted by Island SPACE Caribbean Museum.
Food trucks will be on site, making the event an easy afternoon outing for families, seniors, students, community groups and culture lovers. Parents and guardians are encouraged to bring young children so they can enjoy the music, stories, art and traditions that help bring this history to life.
The closing program will feature an Emancipation panel with multiple Caribbean consuls general. The discussion will be moderated by Gillian M. Smart, CEO of TheSmartGroup Corp and Cane Radio, who will also present a short film on emancipation from the main stage.
Cultural presentations will include Haitian educator and spoken word artist Mecca aka Grimo, and a performance by the Trinidad and Tobago Emancipation Group of Florida coordinated by Alicia Williams. Throughout the day, live performances will represent Jamaica, The Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Haiti and Trinidad.
The Story Behind Emancipation Day
Observed on August 1 in many Anglo-Caribbean countries, Emancipation Day marks the end of chattel slavery across the British Empire following the Slavery Abolition Act. For Caribbean communities, the day is an opportunity to remember the people who lived through slavery, recognize those who pushed toward freedom and acknowledge the societies they built afterward.
The program will also recognize Haiti’s place as the first free Black republic in the Western Hemisphere and Juneteenth’s importance to the African American community. As the nation celebrates America 250, the event offers a local, family-centered way to consider freedom through the connected stories of migration, struggle, nation-building and community life.
“This celebration is about making history accessible,” said Commissioner Rogers. “Guests can move from children’s story time to a steel pan lesson, from an exhibit to a conversation with Caribbean leaders. It is education in motion, built for the whole community.”
Free and Open to the Public
Emancipation Day: Freedom Across the Caribbean is free and open to the public. Advance registration is encouraged at islandspacefl.org/EmancipationDay26.
Event Details
What: Emancipation Day: Freedom Across the Caribbean
When: Saturday, August 1, 2026, 1–5 p.m.
Where: African American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Presented by: Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, African American Research Library and
Cultural Center and Broward County Commissioner Hazelle P. Rogers
Admission: Free and open to the public
Registration: islandspacefl.org/EmancipationDay2