[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation officially went into effect on January 1, 1863. The proclamation declared that anyone held as a slave in the confederate states “are, and henceforward shall be free.” But it wasn’t until June 19, 1865—two years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect—that word reached those enslaved in Galveston, Texas.
While not having to wait quite as long as those enslaved in Texas, the enslaved population of Maryland was not emancipated until November 1, 1864. As a border state, the Emancipation Proclamation did not apply to Maryland residents, and it wasn’t until Maryland held a constitutional convention the following year that slavery was abolished in the state.
In honor of Juneteenth, the Accokeek Foundation created “Juneteenth: Journey to Freedom” to tell the story of enslaved Marylanders before and after emancipation. Presented last year as a tour through the National Colonial Farm, this year’s “tour” took place virtually.
We want to thank all of those who were able to join us online for the special program. We are grateful for the thoughtful questions and dialogue about slavery, emancipation, culture, and race that we were able to have with participants during the Q&A session, and we hope to continue having these courageous conversations with the community.
If you missed the presentation or would like to view any part of the program again, you can access a recording of the session below.Watch the recording of Juneteenth
Many of the discussion questions were about recommended Juneteenth resources, so we’ve compiled a list of articles and websites that have more information about Juneteenth songs, Juneteenth children’s books, information for more reading, and references for our research about Cate Sharper and her story.
Juneteenth Books:
History Books:
Resources for talking about race:
Please stay connected by following us on social media or joining our mailing list (subscribe at the bottom of this page) for more information about upcoming Museum Theater presentations, where we will be presenting more of Cate Sharper’s story.
This project was made possible by a grant from Maryland Humanities, through support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Maryland Historical Trust in the Maryland Department of Planning, and the Maryland Department of Labor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Maryland Humanities, Maryland Historical Trust, Maryland Department of Planning, or the Maryland Department of Labor.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]