Juneteenth with the Museum

Explore the continuing struggle for equality for all and join the Museum to mark the anniversary of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. The date commemorates the day in 1865 when the abolition of slavery reached the deepest parts of the former Confederacy in Texas.

Mother Bethel Virtual Walking Tour
Online | June 19 at 10 a.m.
Discover the story of Richard Allen, a minister who founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first independent Black denomination in the United States. Allen was co-founder of the Free African Society, a mutual aid organization founded the same year as the formation of the United States Constitution in 1787, and opened his first AME church, Mother Bethel, in Philadelphia in 1794. Join us for a virtual exploration of Mother Bethel, including its story-rich stained-glass windows and burial ground, where people from the Revolutionary-era are interred. The tour will be broadcast on our Facebook and website.

Contactless Discovery Cart: Harry Washington
Onsite Saturday & Sunday | Online Daily
Explore replica objects related to the life of Harry Washington, who was enslaved by the Washingtons and found freedom through service in the British army.

In-Gallery Talks: Finding Freedom Tableau
Onsite | Daily
Enjoy a 10-minute pop-up talk at the Finding Freedom tableau to learn how “sometimes, freedom wore a red coat” as enslaved people of African descent sought freedom on both sides of the war. Plus, explore the stories of African American men and women in war-torn Virginia with the Finding Freedom online interactive feature, adapted from the Museum's galleries.

First-Person Performance: Elizabeth Freeman
Online | Anytime
Watch the original first-person theatrical performance portraying the life and experiences of Elizabeth Freeman, a Massachusetts woman who sued for her freedom from enslavement and won. "Meet Elizabeth Freeman" stars Tiffany Bacon as Elizabeth Freeman and was written by Teresa Miller.

“Freedom on the Horizon” Performance by Nastassia Parker
Online | Anytime
Actress and historical interpreter Nastassia Parker portrays Ona Judge, a woman enslaved by George and Martha Washington who ran away from the Washington’s household in Philadelphia, in her 20-minute, one-woman theatrical piece, “Freedom on the Horizon.”