Middleton Place Foundation strives to be an organization of open hearts and open minds. In our mission to share the stories of all who lived at Middleton Place, we had hoped to be able to expand on last year’s programming that highlighted the important meaning of Juneteenth with visitors. The Foundation’s goal is to inspire a deeper understanding of ourselves and each other through our shared American history. However, we have heard the community’s feedback on the need for more sensitivity, and that now is the time to listen. Therefore, we have decided to cancel this year’s Juneteenth events at Middleton Place National Historic Landmark.

We look with hope to next year – to a strengthened connection with our neighbors, and to the creation of another planning committee for future commemorations. As with this year, we envision next year’s committee to be made up of a diverse group of staff, community leaders, and descendants, many of whom already support Middleton Place Foundation through other partnerships.

It is important to center the histories of the communities of color represented at Middleton Place. The programming that had been planned for Friday has been offered before, and will be offered again, both in-person and free online on the Plugged In To History digital platform. In honor of the enslaved whose names we had planned to read on Juneteenth, the Foundation is offering the following link to the 2017 documentary we produced, Beyond the Fields: Slavery at Middleton Place.

The link requires a password verification and will be accessible free of charge.

Beyond the Fields: Slavery at Middleton Place

Link: https://vimeo.com/231284299

Password: Middleton

Additionally, screenings of the documentary will take place throughout the day on Juneteenth.