Joyce Jefferson brings the story of author Katherine Davis Chapman Tillman to the performing Arts Center for a free performance

Black Hills Community Theatre and the Performing Arts Center of Rapid City will host An Afternoon with Katherine Davis Chapman Tillman on June 13 in the Historic Theatre at the PAC. The performance was created by local performer and historian Joyce Jefferson and will feature additional community performers.

Tillman moved to Yankton in 1882 at the age of 12. She attended school there before later studying at the State University of Kentucky. During her career, she produced a large body of work that included poetry, essays, and plays.

Among her works were Thirty Years of Freedom and Fifty Years of Freedom, two plays that addressed the experiences of Black Americans in the decades following emancipation.

According to organizers, Jefferson has portrayed Tillman and other South Dakota “Sheroes” during previous Juneteenth celebrations. This year’s presentation was created specifically for the 2026 event.

The performance is part of the fourth annual Juneteenth Celebration hosted by BHCT and the PACRC. Doors open at 1 p.m. for fellowship, coffee and cookies, educational displays about the holiday and local Black history, and a community quilt project where attendees can contribute a paper quilt square.

The performance begins at 2 p.m. Admission is free.

The event takes place Saturday, June 13, at the Performing Arts Center of Rapid City.