New London storyteller McKinley Winston is seeking the stories of southeastern Connecticut families for a Juneteenth celebration at the Hempsted Houses on June 13.

The stories Winston gathers will be told by community members and professional storytellers during the event from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Hempsted Houses during Connecticut Open House Day.

Juneteenth began as a commemoration of abolition in Texas in 1865, but now celebrates the end of slavery across the U.S. South. The Hempsted Houses, at 11 Hempstead St. in New London, are at the heart of the city’s first African-American neighborhood.

Send stories to Winston by May 15 at mwinston@lmhosp.org or (860) 271-4877.