The Charleston Gaillard Center, Mother Emanuel AME Church, and the International African American Museum are offering a series of educational events and performances to commemorate the bicentennial of Denmark Vesey’s planned uprising to free enslaved people in Charleston in 1822. The bicentennial opens on Thursday with a “Truth Be Told” panel discussion exploring Vesey’s impact, moderated by Lee J. Bennett Jr., the historian of Mother Emanuel church. On Saturday, the Charleston Symphony and Lowcountry Voices give a free “Orchestrating Freedom” concert on the Gaillard lawn, playing selections that juxtapose “the American promise of freedom and the pursuit of liberty” with the experiences of Vesey and enslaved individuals. Grammy Award-winning singer Anthony Hamilton and comedian D.L. Hughley also headline events during the weekend. The series is intended to “bridge divides, build dialogues, and support healing around the history of slavery and the continuing legacy of racial injustice in America,” according to organizers.