WHEATON, Md. – Montgomery Parks is partnering with the Montgomery County Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation to provide free admission to the Josiah Henson Museum and Park during the celebration of Maryland Emancipation Day. That event on Saturday, November 2, 2024, will mark the 160th anniversary of the emancipation of enslaved people, mandated by the Maryland State Constitution.
Josiah Henson was an abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor who was enslaved in Montgomery County. His life inspired the abolitionist novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. His story in his own words is featured at the Josiah Henson Museum and Park. The Emancipation Day event at that park is one of several events marking the day at Montgomery Parks’ cultural sites.
Maryland Emancipation Day events on Saturday, November 2, 2024:
Emancipation Day at Josiah Henson Museum and Park
10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Visitors will enjoy hands-on activities in the historic Riley-Bolten House at the Park. Also, lawn games and self-guided tours of the museum. The Sankofa Mobile Museum from Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation Department will give visitors an immersive look at local stories of freedom and justice.
11:00 a.m.
Children’s story time/author talk with Treava Hopkins-Laboy. Parking for the Josiah Henson Museum and Park is located at the Kennedy Shriver Aquatic Center at 5900 Executive Blvd.
Emancipation Day Celebration at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park
10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Free admission to the Woodlawn Museum. Three floors of self-guided exhibits tell the story of Woodlawn’s residents, Montgomery County’s agricultural history, enslaved and free black communities and the Quaker experience. Free. Check in at the Visitor Center.
10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Guided Hikes on Underground Railroad Experience Trail. Learn about the experience of freedom seekers and techniques they used for navigation, foraging and eluding detection. $8. Purchase tickets on ActiveMontgomery.
11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Woodlawn Manor House Tour. Learn about the history and occupants of the early 1800’s era Federal style house. The tour includes interior and exterior spaces. $5 per person. Tickets sold at the Visitor Center.
Emancipation Day Celebration at Oakley Cabin African American Museum and Park
11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Enjoy live music featuring Jay Summerour, folk tales by storyteller Sheila Arnold, candle dipping, crafts and historic games. Join us for the unveiling of the new Oakley Cabin “Freedom Quilt” handcrafted by former visitors during workshops conducted by Kyna Clemons of Gyame Quilt Studio. Guided tours of historic Oakley Cabin which was the heart of an African American community from Emancipation through the early 20th century. An augmented reality experience offers visitors an innovative look at that history. Free parking with shuttle service at 19801 Georgia Ave, Brookeville, MD. Refreshments will be provided. Free.
Maryland Emancipation Day events on Sunday, November 3, 2024:
Emancipation Day Celebration at Harper Cabin
1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Join us for a look inside this historic log cabin built by Thomas Harper near Poolesville, in 1870. Originally located in the African American community of Jonesville, the cabin was in the Harper family for generations before it was sold and eventually relocated to Brookside Nature Center in Montgomery Parks for preservation. The tour of the cabin and homestead will shed light on the lives of African Americans in Montgomery County after the Civil War. The cabin is open to the public for only a few days each year. Free.
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
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 ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Accessibility for more information. ###