Sankofa African Diaspora Festival
Saturday, June 14 the Historic Cossitt Library will host the second annual Sankofa African Diaspora Festival. In recognition of Black Music Month and Juneteenth, this festival will celebrate the rich culture, lived experiences, and creative expressions of African-descended communities.
The festival, running between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 33 S. Front Street, will have live music, dance performances, art displays, author readings, a local vendor marketplace, and food trucks.
2025 Lineup
Music
Artistiqly Xpressive
BLACK CRÈME
Ekpe Abioto and the African Jazz Ensemble
Siju and Friends
Dance
QUEEN SIREN
Drama
Anansi the Spider by Hattiloo Theatre
Live Rich Die Poor by Ann Perry Wallace
Children’s Storytime by Tennessee Representative Justin Pearson
Food Trucks
StickEM
Jus Enuff Concessions
Last year’s event attracted an estimated 550 people while showcasing a total of 30 vendors and five musical acts.
“Memphis wouldn’t be Memphis without the music, religion, and traditions the African diaspora brought with them. Our Sankofa festival highlights those contributions and celebrates where we’ve been and where we’re going,” said Brian Lyles, Senior Manager of the Cossitt Library.
The Sankofa Festival is a celebration and remembrance of the past, while creating, a brighter informed future. The Historic Cossitt Library is a perfect spot for the festival since it was one of the first public spaces in Memphis to be desegregated thanks to the 1958 lawsuit brought by Jesse Turner and the LeMoyne and Owen student-led sit-ins of 1960.
And as Shamichael Hallman notes in his novel “Meet Me at the Library,” the Cossitt Library has been renovated and reimagined as “a space centered on belonging,” a place to learn, connect, and share. Hallman served as Cossitt’s Senior Manager during its recent renovation and repurposing.
Lyles added, “The Historic Cossitt Library aims to be the library of the future, while bringing its storied history to current and future generations.”
What: Sankofa African Diaspora Festival: A Celebration of the rich culture, lived experiences, and creative expressions of African-descended communities
When: Saturday, June 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Historic Cossitt Library, 33 S. Front Street
Planned events: Live music, dance performances, art displays, author readings, local vendor marketplace, and food trucks
Who: Created by Cossitt Library staff. Sponsored by Friends of the Library and Memphis Library Foundation
Suggested Parking: Premium Parking, 60 Madison (corner of Front and Madison) or Premium Parking, 79 Union Avenue (between Front and Main)
For more information, contact Antonio Quinn at antonio.edwards@memphistn.gov or 901-415-2766.
