Juneteenth Sunrise
June 21 @ 7:00 am – 8:00 am
The Juneteenth Sunrise Service
The Juneteenth Sunrise Service
Sunday, June 21, at 7 a.m.
The Virginia Room
Williamsburg Lodge Hotel
Come enjoy an early service inspired by “Watch Night”
To commemorate the triumphant spirit of the African American journey, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation will host its fourth annual Juneteenth Sunrise Service on Sunday, June 21st, at 7 a.m. in the Virginia Room at the Williamsburg Lodge Hotel.
Click here to learn more.
Inspired by “Watch Night”
The Juneteenth Sunrise Service draws its inspiration from “Watch Night” or “Freedom’s Eve,” a tradition in Black churches that originated on December 31, 1862. On this night, enslaved African Americans awaited the dawn of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.
Historical Background
- The Moravian community in Herrnhut, Germany, conducted the first documented Sunrise Service for Easter in 1732.
- Early Moravian settlers brought this tradition to the American colonies, where it was embraced by various denominations, including both Black and white churches.
- Southern Black churches combined Easter Sunrise Services with all-night vigils, such as the Easter Rock in Louisiana.
- These services also commemorated other important historic milestones, like the Union forces’ capture of Wilmington, North Carolina, in February 1865.
Weather permitting. For more details, click here.
See more Juneteenth Weekend Events here.
