Student poets invited to 2025 Juneteenth celebration honoring Jupiter Hammon
The Caribbean American Poetry Association (CAPA) and Preservation Long Island (PLI) invite students in Grades 6-12 across Long Island to share original poems as part of the 2025 Caribbean American Heritage Month/ Juneteenth Poetry Celebration on Thursday, June 19 in Lloyd Harbor. This event will pay homage to Jupiter Hammon (1711–c. 1806), recognized as the first published Black American poet. The event will take place at Joseph Lloyd Manor where Hammon authored his most significant works about the moral conflicts of slavery and freedom in the early United States while enslaved on Long Island.
In honor of Hammon’s legacy, CAPA and PLI invite students to submit their original poetry for the open-mic segment of the Juneteenth event. Students are encouraged to share verses on themes of liberty, resistance, and the power of writing, all of which resonate deeply with Hammon’s work. Entries will be accepted from students in Grades 6 through 12. Those who wish to participate must submit their original poetry on or before June 1, 2025. Poems should be no more than 40 lines long. Click HERE for details and guidelines for teachers and students. Poetry submissions are due by June 1, 2025.
The student open-mic will follow performances by featured poets, Dr. Lindamichelle Baron, Keisha-Gay Anderson, and Yasmin Morais. The program will begin with tours of Joseph Lloyd Manor and live Caribbean music. It will also include a dramatic historical hip-hopera by award-winning playwright, author, and poet Marsha M. Nelson, and a Taste of the Caribbean Table featuring signature dishes donated by local Caribbean eateries. The event is free; however, guests are encouraged to RSVP.
Support
The Juneteenth Poetic Tribute to Jupiter Hammon is funded in part by Poets & Writers with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. For more information about sponsorship opportunities or to participate in The Taste of the Caribbean Table, please contact CAPA at: [email protected].
About CAPA
The Caribbean American Poetry Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing Caribbean poetry in the United States, promoting the work of Caribbean American poets, and bringing Caribbean American poetry to the widest possible audiences.
About Preservation Long Island
Preservation Long Island is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to celebrate and preserve Long Island’s diverse cultural and architectural heritage through advocacy, education, and the stewardship of historic sites and collections. http://preservationlongisland.org
About Joseph Lloyd Manor
Located in the Town of Huntington, Joseph Lloyd Manor (c.1767) is one of Preservation Long Island’s historic houses and a site that enslaved generations of people of African descent. The house was designated as a National Literary Landmark™ in 2020 by the United for Libraries and Empire State Center for the Book in honor of writer Jupiter Hammon’s literary achievements. https://preservationlongisland.org/joseph-lloyd-manor/
