The museum will be open free of charge on Saturday, March 9, and Sunday, March 10, 2024.
WHEATON, Md. – Montgomery Parks, and Westfield Montgomery Mall are partnering to honor Black History Month by offering free entry to the Josiah Henson Museum and Park, which is located on the former plantation of Isaac Riley where Reverend Josiah Henson was enslaved. The museum and park will be open free of charge on Saturday, March 9, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and on Sunday, March 10, from 12 to 4 p.m. Reservations are not required.
The museum is a historic resource of local, state, national, and international significance because of its association with Reverend Henson, whose 1849 autobiography, The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe’s landmark novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
“We appreciate the partnership with Westfield Montgomery Mall and encourage people to come out and visit the museum and learn about the incredible life and story of Reverend Josiah Henson,” said Mark Thorne, Historic Site Manager at Josiah Henson Museum and Park.
“Westfield Montgomery is proud to partner with Montgomery Parks and the Josiah Henson Museum and Park to use our platform to help share the inspiring story of Reverend Henson with our community,” said Stuart Amos, senior general manager of Westfield Montgomery.
About Josiah Henson Museum & Park
The Josiah Henson Museum & Park, located at 11410 Old Georgetown Road in North Bethesda, is the first museum in the United States dedicated to Reverend Josiah Henson. Situated on the grounds of the former plantation where Henson was enslaved prior to self-emancipating to Canada, the site includes a Visitor Center, a historic house with an attached log kitchen dating to 1850, and a 4-acre landscaped park with accessible walking paths. Indoor and outdoor interpretive exhibits throughout the property detail Henson’s inspirational life story, enslavement in Maryland, and the ongoing struggles for racial equality and justice. The Josiah Henson Museum & Park is part of the National Park Service National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program.
Born into slavery, Henson defied the odds to become an influential author, Methodist minister, abolitionist, public speaker, and world-renowned figure. Among Henson’s many accomplishments was his 1849 autobiography, The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, which inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe’s landmark anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
About Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 419 parks. Montgomery Parks is focused on promoting physical activity, social connectivity, and environmental stewardship, especially in diverse and urbanizing areas, with an emphasis on teens, working-age adults, and seniors. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems. MontgomeryParks.org
About Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Montgomery
Westfield Montgomery is a 1.1-million-square-foot retail flagship and citymaking destination located minutes away from Washington D.C. off Interstate 270 in Montgomery County, Maryland. The center is the preferred shopping destination for communities in Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase and across the wider DMV region. Currently home to top brands such as Nordstrom, Apple, Tesla, Arhaus, L’Occitane, Tumi, Lululemon, Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, Kiehl’s, Sephora, Zara, Urban Outfitters, LEGO, Nespresso, Madewell, Bonobos, Tommy Bahama, Liljenquest & Beckstead, Rolex and the critically acclaimed Lucky Strike gastropub/bowling alley concept, the shopping mall also hosts popular dining options such as The Cheesecake Factory, Shake Shack, Frank Pepe’s Pizza and CAVA.
Accessibility
Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice/TTY), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or Program Access to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Accessibility for more information.
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