Discover Exploring Kunta: Roots 50 Commemorative Experience
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
The Roots 50 Commemorative Experience includes:
* Round-Trip Charter Bus Transportation (Annapolis to Fredericksburg)
* (2) Two-Nights Hotel Accommodations (Annapolis & Fredericksburg)
* Guided Tours & Site Admissions
* Symposium & Genealogy Workshops
* Meals & Refreshments
* Joy Fest Admission & Luther Barnes Concert
* Commemorative Program Materials
Space is limited. Early registration is encouraged.
For full itinerary & registration details visit Roots50.org or contact ExploringKunta50th@gmail.com..
A THREE-DAY JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY & HERITAGE
Friday | August 7, 2026 | Annapolis, MD | 50th Anniversary Symposium & Celebration
The experience begins at the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial at the historic Annapolis City Dock — The
documented arrival point of the slave ship Lord Ligonier in 1767.
The day includes:
* Libations Ceremony at the Waterfront
* 50th Anniversary Symposium on Oral History & Storytelling
* Evening Commemorative Celebration
Saturday | August 8, 2026 (11a-5p) | Fredericksburg, VA | Community, Resistance & Resilience
Programming continues in Fredericksburg with guided cultural exploration, including:
* Exhibitions at the Fredericksburg Area Museum
* Civil Rights Trail Driving Tour tracing the stories of 13 Freedom Riders & the historic Shiloh Baptist Church
* Historic Trolley Tour
* Genealogy seminar connecting personal ancestry to collective memory
This day centers Community, Resilience, Resistance & Cultural Preservation.
Sunday | August 9, 2026 | Spotsylvania, VA | Joy Fest
The journey concludes with Joy Fest at the John J. Wright Educational & Cultural Center — A celebratory
gathering featuring live music, food, fellowship and a headline gospel performance by Grammy-Nominated
Artist Luther Barnes.
Joy Fest honors legacy not only through remembrance, but through joy, unity and cultural pride.
Participants return to Annapolis via charter transportation following the event.