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50TH ANNIVERSARY
THE ROOTS LEGACY TOUR
Join us for a high-profile, three-day journey commemorating the enduring legacy of Roots and its author, Alex Haley. Traveling from Annapolis, Maryland to Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, Virginia, this immersive experience marks 50 years of cultural impact through storytelling, dialogue, and community engagement.
about the tour
day 1 | AUGUST 7
50th Anniversary Symposium and Celebration
The experience begins at the Kunta Kinte–Alex Haley Memorial at historic Annapolis City Dock — the documented arrival point of the slave ship Lord Ligonier in 1767. A powerful opening rooted in place and memory.
Programming
- Libations Ceremony at the Waterfront
- 50th Anniversary Symposium on Oral History and Storytelling
- Evening Commemorative Celebration
DAY 2 | AUGUST 8
Community, Resistance and Resilience
Programming moves to Fredericksburg for a day of guided cultural exploration — tracing the stories of Freedom Riders, honoring sacred community spaces, and connecting personal ancestry to collective memory.
Programming
- Exhibitions at the Fredericksburg Area Museum
- Civil Rights Trail Driving Tour — tracing 13 Freedom Riders and the historic Shiloh Baptist Church
- Historic Trolley Tour
- Genealogy seminar connecting personal ancestry to collective memory
DAY 3 | JOYFEST
Joy Fest
The journey concludes with Joy Fest at the John J. Wright Educational and Cultural Center — a celebratory gathering that honors legacy not only through remembrance, but through joy, unity, and cultural pride. Participants return to Annapolis via charter transportation following the event.
Programming
- Live music, food, and fellowship
- Headline gospel performance by Grammy-nominated artist Luther Barnes
- Charter transportation return to Annapolis