Juneteenth Honored In Alexandria With In-Person, Virtual Events

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The city of Alexandria is honoring Juneteenth in a number of ways, from in-person and virtual concerts to historical tours of the city.

Juneteenth refers to June 19, 1865, the day when news of the Emancipation Proclamation made it to the slave-holding state of Texas. That day marked the time when all states received the news that African American slaves were free, officially marking the end of slavery in the United States.

In June 2020, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared Juneteenth a permanent paid state holiday. Virginia had long marked Juneteenth by issuing a proclamation, but the date has not previously been considered a state holiday.

Residents of Alexandria and visitors can learn more about Juneteenth and its connection to the city as well as the Black Lives Matter Movement from an interview with Black History Museum Director Audrey Davis.

The city also is inviting residents and visitors to discover 24 Alexandria Black-owned businesses to support this Juneteenth and year-round.

Here are the current and upcoming events in Alexandria to honor Juneteenth:

Alexandria Black History Museum: Preserving Their Names Online Exhibition

• Admission: Free
• Virtual
• alexandriava.gov/BlackHistory
• On May 25, the one-year anniversary of the death of George Floyd, the Alexandria Black History Museum released an online exhibition called Preserving Their Names. It’s part of the museum’s Black Lives Remembered Collecting Initiative. This initiative is a rebranding of the George Floyd Collecting Initiative that began after Floyd’s death in 2020. Images from this project can be found on the Collections at the Alexandria Black History Museum webpage.

Juneteenth Celebration: “Day of Jubilee!”

• June 17 at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Admission: $42 per person
• The Rectory at Princess Street, 711 Princess St., Alexandria
• 703-683-6040
• classicalmovements.com
• As part of the “Sounds of Hope & Harmony” Secret Garden concert series, Classical Movements will host an uplifting and festive musical celebration of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, with the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts. Featuring texts by Langston Hughes and Martin Luther King, Jr. and music by trailblazing composers Margaret Bonds and Adolphus Hailstork, the show will be a joyful and reflective celebration through song, dance and narration.

“Tell Me Your Name” Tour at Carlyle House

• June 18 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Admission: $10 per person
• Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria
• 703-549-2997
• novaparks.com/parks/carlyle-house-historic-park
• Join Carlyle House Historic Park staff for a tour focusing on the experiences of the enslaved community at Carlyle House and the city founder’s plantations. The guided tour will explore the historical context of slavery in 18th-century Alexandria and the importance of ongoing research efforts to connect with descendants. Reservations are required as space is limited. All COVID-19 procedures will be in place during this tour.

Alexandria African American Waterfront Trail

• June 19 at 11 a.m.
• Admission: Free
• Virtual
• alexandriava.gov/BlackHistory
• The Alexandria Black History Museum will host a virtual look at the Alexandria African American Waterfront Trail, complete with live discussion and pre-taped segments. The brand-new self-guided waterfront African American Heritage Trail highlights the people, places and neighborhoods along the Potomac, from the time of Alexandria’s founding through the 20th century. Visitors can pull up the StoryMap on their phones while walking the 11-stop trail, beginning at Waterfront Park. The southern route of this trail will launch in summer 2021.

Manumission Tour Company Tours

• Various times on June 19 (and weekends throughout June)
• Admission: $15 per adult; $12 per child
• Meeting locations vary throughout Old Town, Alexandria
• 703-719-2150
• manumissiontours.com
• Manumission Tour Company curates guided cultural heritage tours designed to highlight Alexandria’s extensive African American History. Owned by a fourth generation Alexandrian, this company offers weekend guided walking and bus tours.

Juneteenth Celebration with Carlyle House and The Athenaeum

• June 19 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Admission: Free
• Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria
• 703-549-2997
• novaparks.com/parks/carlyle-house-historic-park
• Celebrate Juneteenth with Carlyle House Historic Park and the Athenaeum. Join the celebration to mark the day the Emancipation Proclamation reached the last people held in slavery within the former Confederate States, two years after it had taken effect. This free community event of live music, hands-on activities, art, history and poetry readings will be held on the lawn and gardens of Carlyle House.

Virtual Concert with the Washington Revels Jubilee Voices

• June 19 at 2 p.m.
• Admission: Free
• Virtual
• alexandriava.gov/BlackHistory
• The Alexandria Black History Museum will host a virtual concert of African American music with the Washington Revels Jubilee Voices.

Under the Same Roof: Enslaved and Free Servants at the Lee-Fendall House

• June 19 at 2 p.m.
• Admission: $10 per person
• Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco St., Alexandria
• 703-548-1789
• leefendallhouse.org
• This Juneteenth, explore the Lee-Fendall House from the perspectives of the enslaved and free African Americans who lived and worked in the home as domestic servants, both before and after the Civil War. Hear the stories of how they built and shaped the Lee-Fendall House over the course of its history. For your safety and for those around you, face masks are required. The tour is limited to 8 participants. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are $10 per person. Members of Lee-Fendall House receive free entry but must call or email to make a reservation in advance.

RELATED: 6 Ways To Recognize Juneteenth In Alexandria