Share your voice!
Preservation Long Island and the Caribbean American Poetry Association are thrilled to invite students across Long Island to participate in our 2025 Juneteenth Poetry Celebration in honor of Jupiter Hammon (1711-c. 1806). Hammon is recognized today as the first published Black American poet and wrote his most important works while enslaved on Long Island. In honor of Hammon’s legacy, we are inviting students to share their own poetry in an open-mic session during the Juneteenth event. Students are encouraged to share poetry on themes of liberty, resistance, and the power of writing, all of which resonate deeply with Hammon’s own work.
Teachers interested in sharing this opportunity with their students can distribute this flyer and download this lesson plan, which includes links to slides, discussion questions, and a handout.
Submission Details
- The open-mic is open to all students from grades 6-12
- Students who wish to participate must submit their original poetry in advance using the link below. The submission deadline is June 1, 2025
- Poems should be no more than 350 words in length
Recognition and Celebration
Participating students whose work is selected will be invited to read their poetry in an open-mic session during the Juneteenth Celebration. This event will be held on June 19th 2025 at the historic Joseph Lloyd Manor, where Hammon was enslaved, adding a powerful context to our gathering. Click here for more event details.
We hope this opportunity will encourage students to explore their creativity, engage with history, and reflect on important themes through their own words. If you are interested in submitting your poetry, please click the button below: