The Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL) will host a special two-day screening of the landmark television miniseries Roots on Thursday, June 19, and Friday, June 20, in honor of Juneteenth.
The screenings will take place at JCAL, located at 161-04 Jamaica Ave. in downtown Jamaica, and begin at 9 a.m. on both days. Complimentary breakfast and lunch will be provided.
The event will feature a full viewing of the Emmy Award-winning series, along with opening remarks and audience discussions led by noted scholars Andrew “Sekou” Jackson, also known as Sekou Molefi Baako, and Rev. Carla Hunter-Ramsey. JCAL Artistic Director Courtney Ffrench will also offer closing remarks on the first day.
Roots, based on Alex Haley’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, chronicles the journey of Kunta Kinte, a West African man kidnapped and sold into slavery. The miniseries follows his descendants through major events in American history, including slave revolts, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and emancipation. Originally broadcast in 1977, the miniseries became one of the most-watched and critically acclaimed television events in U.S. history.
Juneteenth, observed annually on June 19, commemorates the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the freedom of enslaved African Americans, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. The holiday is widely recognized as a time of reflection and education on African American history and resilience.
The screening schedule includes eight episodes split over two days, with regular breaks and guided discussions:
Thursday, June 19th
9 a.m. Breakfast
9:45 a.m. Opening Remarks – Andrew “Sekou” Jackson (Sekou Molefi Baako)
10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Episode 1
11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.Break
11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Episode 2
1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Lunch break
2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Episode 3
3:45 p.m. – 4 p.m. Break
4 p.m. – 5 p.m. Episode 4
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. Audience Discussion/Closing Remarks – Courtney Ffrench, JCAL Artistic Director
Friday, June 20th
9 a.m.-Breakfast
9:45 a.m. Opening Remarks – Rev. Carla Hunter-Ramsey
10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Episode 5
11 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Break
11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Episode 6
12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Lunch break
1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Episode 7
2:45 p.m. – 3 p.m. Break
3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Episode 8
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Audience Discussion/Closing Remarks – Carla Hunter-Ramsey
The event is free and open to the public. RSVPs are encouraged. To RSVP, click here. For more information, visit jcal.org.
