Weeksville Heritage Center

"Before there was Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights, there was a community called Weeksville created in 1838 by free blacks in New York. Three of the original homes have been restored and open for tours. WHC also hosts cultural events throughout the year celebrating the history and culture of black Brooklyn." - Stephanye Watts

"Even if you’re not in the city this weekend, or haven’t been doing a lot of in-person events, you can still participate in the Weeksville Heritage Center’s free Juneteenth programming, Meals As Collective Memory. The schedule has everything from a demo on how to pull off a Sunday dinner party from Chef Omar Tate of Honeysuckle Projects, to a session on Central Brooklyn’s community fridges during the pandemic, and a conversation with legendary food historian (and the writer of High On The Hog, the book that inspired the recent Netflix show of the same name) Dr. Jessica B. Harris about Black diasporic foodways. You can see the schedule, which runs from 12:30-4pm on Saturday, June 19th, here. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Team Infatuation

"Weeksville Heritage Center is home to a small stretch of historic homes that were once part of the Weeksville community: one of America’s first free Black enclaves. Despite its historical significance, the village was nearly forgotten until the 1960s.  The Lefferts family were among the biggest land and slaveowners in Kings County by the time slavery was abolished in New York in 1827. Shortly thereafter, they began selling off parcels of land. One buyer was prominent abolitionist Henry C. Thompson, who bought up plenty of property to sell to fellow Black Americans. He sold two plots to Longshoreman John Weeks, who built himself a house and began to form a community. Weeksville was born.  By the 1850s, Weeksville had a population of more than 500 people and had its own churches, schools, and businesses. Despite its success and having been home to several important figures (including Dr. Susan Smith McKinney, the state’s first Black female doctor, and New York’s first Black police officer), Weeksville’s influence and legacy faded as Brooklyn developed around it.  When a pair of researchers stumbled upon a mention of the community in a history book in 1968, the village had been largely forgotten. Threatened by demolition, the historians brought much-needed exposure to four houses that remained on Hunterfly Road: the remnants of Weeksville.  Since then, preservationists have worked tirelessly to protect and restore the historic homes. These efforts culminated in 2014 with the opening of a modern community center devoted to the houses and their heritage, ensuring that the story of Weeksville would never be forgotten again." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

"Even if you’re not in the city this weekend, or haven’t been doing a lot of in-person events, you can still participate in the Weeksville Heritage Center’s free Juneteenth programming, Meals As Collective Memory. The schedule has everything from a demo on how to pull off a Sunday dinner party from Chef Omar Tate of Honeysuckle Projects, to a session on Central Brooklyn’s community fridges during the pandemic, and a conversation with legendary food historian (and the writer of High On The Hog, the book that inspired the recent Netflix show of the same name) Dr. Jessica B. Harris about Black diasporic foodways. You can see the schedule, which runs from 12:30-4pm on Saturday, June 19th, here." - hannah albertine, nikko duren

"This weekend, from 12-7pm, Weeksville Heritage Center, a community-based arts organization, and Black-Owned Brooklyn, a publication spotlighting Black-owned, Brooklyn based businesses, are partnering for their first annual Juneteenth Food Festival. Eat your way through 21 Black food vendors with cuisine representing nations across the African diaspora, including some of our favorites like Dept. of Culture and Lakou Cafe. Local Black collectives like Blackspace will also provide programming centered on Black foodways and cooking demonstrations. More info here. " - neha talreja