Celebrating Juneteenth

The Folly Theater, for the last 120 years has stood in support of the performing arts of Kansas City. We recognize and appreciate the great contributions that the Black community has made to the performing arts! We, as an organization, a staff, and board, recognize Juneteenth as a day to celebrate the ending of slavery in the United States and the contributions made by the Black artists to the cultural landscape of American life.

The Folly is lucky enough to have had brilliant Black individuals perform on her stage including Ramsey Lewis, Kandace Springs, and Jon Batiste, to name a few. These and other artists help make music beautiful & impactful.

Due to COVID-19 and the resulting regulations, we haven't been able to have any artists on our stage for the last few months, however, we'd like to use our platform to help brighten the light on Black performing arts organizations like the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, which began on the Folly stage, The American Jazz Museum, and the Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City.

There are dozens of other arts organizations and we aren't able to highlight them all. However, we've found some resources below to help you celebrate Juneteenth today and forever, because support of the Black community isn't a one-day event.

Buy Black KC - BuyBlackKC.org

Check out KC Black Arts Network - Facebook.com/KC.Bk.ArtNtwk/

Donate to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund - https://www.naacpldf.org/

Donate to the Black Lives Matter Organization - https://blacklivesmatter.com/

Learn more about Juneteenth - https://www.juneteenth.com/

Check out JuneteenthKC - https://www.juneteenth-kc.com/history

Visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - https://nlbm.com/

Visit the American Jazz Museum - https://americanjazzmuseum.org/

For more than 120 years, the Folly Theater has stood with Kansas City in good times and difficult times.  She has welcomed artists and performers from racially and culturally diverse backgrounds as they have taken the stage.  It’s because of those talented artists that the Folly continues to shine a light on Kansas City’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.

We are appalled by the senseless murders that have taken place, and we acknowledge the pain inflicted on so many families including those of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. We denounce the injustices against underrepresented communities and commit to working alongside city leaders, artists, and other performing arts organizations to advocate for change, equity, and inclusion. We invite you to join us as we all unite in fighting the inequalities that exist in our nation. 

The Folly believes #BlackLivesMatter.