African Naming Ceremony & Healing Gathering
August 22–23, 2026 | Fort Monroe, Virginia
We invite you to join us for a powerful and intentional gathering rooted in remembrance, restoration, and reconnection.
Held at Fort Monroe in Hampton, this sacred experience takes place on the shores where, in 1619, Africans first arrived on English-occupied land in what would become the United States. This location is not incidental — it is ancestral ground. It is a place of memory, and for many, a place of return.
Over the course of two days, participants will engage in guided moments of reflection, cultural practice, and collective healing. The gathering centers on an African Naming Ceremony — a meaningful act of restoration that reconnects individuals to identity, lineage, and cultural belonging.
At dawn on August 23rd, 2026, we will gather on the beach at Fort Monroe for a cleansing ceremony, honoring the water as a site of both trauma and renewal. This ritual creates space to release, reflect, and prepare for what follows.
The naming ceremony is a deeply personal and communal experience. Names carry history, intention, and identity. For many descendants of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, original names were stripped away. This ceremony offers an opportunity to reclaim that connection — to receive a name grounded in African tradition, meaning, and spirit.
This gathering is rooted in the belief that cultural restoration is a form of healing, and that reclaiming identity is a powerful act. For some, this experience may feel like a step toward repair — a way to honor ancestors and affirm self.
Participants can expect:
A guided dawn cleansing ceremony on the shores of Fort Monroe
An African Naming Ceremony led by cultural practitioners
Space for reflection, intention-setting, and community connection
Historical grounding connected to the 1619 arrival in Hampton
A respectful and supportive environment for personal journeys
This is not a performance. It is a sacred, intentional experience designed for those seeking connection — to history, to ancestry, and to self.
Join us as we gather at the water’s edge — to remember, to restore, and to reclaim.
