Juneteenth at Colonial Williamsburg include events all weekend but Sunday June 19th Admission is FREE to Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg will be offering free admission to Colonial Williamsburg on Sunday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth.
Special highlights include Bray School Archeological Project, Loquacious Lucy, Queen for a Day, A Taste of Freedom, Freedom’s Paradox Tour, Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, Visit with a Nation Builder – Edith Cumbo, Visit with a Nation Builder – Gowan Pamphlet, My Story My Voice – Sam’s War, First Baptist Church Archeological Site, and Custis Square Archeological Project.
The events below are free and open to the public as Colonial Williamsburg on Sunday June 19, 2022 from 9 am to 4:30 pm.
Bray School Archaeology Project – June 19th from 9 am – 4:30 pm
Visitors are invited to stop by the Williamsburg Bray School Archaeology site, talk to archaeologists in the field, and learn about the Bray School Initiative, a partnership between Colonial Williamsburg and the College of William and Mary, and the work underway to relocate the original Bray School building and, using archaeological evidence, recreate the surrounding area in Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area. Located at the corner of Prince George and Boundary Streets. No ticket or reservation is required. Weather dependent. The site is open to the public on Juneteenth from 9:30am-12pm and 1pm-4pm.
Learn more…
Celebrate Juneteenth at Custis Square! – Come and see what’s new at Custis Square! Archaeologists are in the midst of a 5-year project investigating the Williamsburg home of Virginia plantation owner and statesman, John Custis IV. Visit the archaeological site, see artifacts as they’re being discovered, and talk with experts in the field. While you visit, you’ll learn about the property’s history, from Custis’ purchase of the land in the early 18th century to its tenure as a recreation space for patients of the Eastern State Public Hospital. Stop by and find out what archaeology can tell us about Custis Square and the people who lived there! This self-guided program is open to visitors of all ages, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Guests may enter the site at the corner of Nassau and Francis Streets. The terrain is grassy and may be difficult to access by wheelchair. Weather dependent More info
Loquacious Lucy, Queen for a Day – When Lucy, a gregarious and loquacious enslaved child, learns that her best friend has been sold, her father must teach her hard lessons about slavery and instill in her the pride of her ancestors. Showtimes at 10:30 am, 11:30 am and 12:30 pm at the outdoor Play House Stage in Colonial Williamsburg. More info
Freedom’s Paradox Take a 60-minute walking tour of the Randolph Yard, Market Square and Palace Green. Examine slavery’s evolution, and the reliance upon it by patriots like Peyton Randolph, to build a city, a colony and eventually a nation. Explore the paradox of the institution of slavery and the movement for independence by looking at the experiences of the free and enslaved members of the Randolph Household. Space is limited for this program. Freedom’s Paradox Tour at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:45 PM, 2:45 PM, and 3:45 PM.. Learn More
Charlton Stage Programs – Outdoor Theatre Performances at 11:45 AM, 2:45 PM, and 4:00 PM
Visit with a Nation Builder – Edith Cumbo – at 11:45 AM (about 25 minutes) – Step into the past with Nation Builder Edith Cumbo, Free Black Sister, Mother, Fighter, and Founder. Through stories, discussion, and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges she faced in Williamsburg and beyond. 11:45 AM at the Charlton Stage
Visit with a Nation Builder – Gowan Pamphlet at 2:45 PM (about 25 minutes) Step into the past with Nation Builder Gowan Pamphlet, Revolutionary Black Baptist Preacher. Through stories, discussion, and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges he faced in Williamsburg and beyond. 2:45 PM at Charlton Stage
My Story My Voice – Sam’s War -at 4 PM – (about 25 minutes) Witness a compelling story from the life of an 18th-century person, and then hear from the actor interpreter as they share how they discover and bring to life a voice from the past. Sam, a formerly enslaved soldier, tells us his heroic story of self-liberation, his encounters with the Shawnee, his supposed enemy, and those who enslaved him. As he wrestles with the ugly truth of how Black soldiers are perceived a rare opportunity sends him to the battlefield to prove his mettle. Which army will he fight for?
A Taste of Freedom at Hennage Auditorium in the Art Museum of Colonial Williamsburg at 1:30 PM 2:15 PM
Before Juneteenth and the Emancipation Proclamation, thousands of formerly enslaved men, women, and children gained freedom and sanctuary by escaping to Union camps in the south after Shepard Mallory, Frank Baker and James Townsend secured their liberty at Fort Monroe. Learn about one of those men, Americus Weston, and his journey to freedom in this 45-minute museum theatre program, developed to commemorate Juneteenth. 1:30 p.m. at the Hennage Auditorium
For more Juneteenth events visit here.
