Juneteenth Special Activation at the Heritage Museum of Asian Art
Honoring Black and Asian Solidarity through Cultural Performance and Storytelling
CHICAGO, IL — The Heritage Museum of Asian Art is proud to host a Juneteenth Special Activation on Thursday, June 19, 2025, from 2–4 PM, as part of the ongoing Stitching Stories: The First Thread pop-up exhibition. This dynamic celebration honors Juneteenth’s legacy and offers a space for reflection, recognition, and cultural exchange between Black and Asian communities.
This year’s activation will feature a live Chakaba stilt dance performance and drumming presentation, rooted in West African masquerade traditions. The Chakaba, performed anonymously in keeping with cultural tradition, will be presented by a Muntu Dance Theatre masquerade artist. Accompanying the performance is Baba John Chapman, renowned drummer and director of the Azania Drum Ensemble.
Stilt artists like the Chakaba are central figures in many indigenous cultures across West Africa, the Caribbean, and South America—embodying folklore, spiritual protection, and celebration. Their presence at this Juneteenth event brings vibrant energy and powerful symbolism to a day honoring freedom, resilience, and cultural heritage.
The Juneteenth Special Activation is co-presented with the Needles and Threads Quilters Guild as part of the Stitching Stories project, in partnership with HerArt Foundation and the Abrahamic Center for Cultural Education, and made possible through support from Healing Illinois.
About the Exhibition: Stitching Stories: The First Thread
This pop-up exhibition brings together Asian and Black artists whose works explore cultural exchange, storytelling, and shared futures through textile arts. The project emerged from a months-long collaboration and six community workshops focused on intergenerational dialogue, art-making, and coalition-building.
Stitching Stories is not just an exhibition—it is a call to action. It invites artists, organizers, and community members to deepen cross-cultural understanding and solidarity through creative practice.
Event Details:
Juneteenth Special Activation
📅 Thursday, June 19, 2025
🕑 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
📍 Heritage Museum of Asian Art, 3500 S Morgan St, 3F, Chicago, IL
🎟️ Free with museum admission (available online or at the front desk)
Organizers & Partners:
Heritage Museum of Asian Art
Needles and Threads Quilters Guild
HerArt Foundation
Abrahamic Center for Cultural Education
Supported by Healing Illinois
