WESTLAKE 鈥 Booker T. Washington National Monument continued its Juneteenth celebration Friday with programs detailing the famous orator and author鈥檚 life as well as the lives of other enslaved individuals who found their freedom in 1865.
What was originally planned as a three-day event at the national monument to celebrate the 160th year of emancipation set to start on Friday was extended into Thursday鈥檚 Juneteenth holiday. Park Superintendent Jim Bailey said he has seen larger than usual crowds interested in learning more about Washington and the holiday.
Jim Bailey, superintendent of Booker T. Washington National Monument near Westlake, gives a tour of the historic core of the park after the unveiling of new interpretive signs around the grounds.
The park unveiled new interpretive signs Friday afternoon detailing the early life of Washington before he was freed at the age of 9 and moved to West Virginia for a time. The 11 new signs provide insight into his life on the Burroughs plantation.
Booker T. Washington National Monument, located in the Westlake area of Franklin County, has held an annual Juneteenth celebration for the past 24 years. Bailey said that crowds have grown since the day became a federal holiday in 2021 and became more well known. The park decided this year to increase programs centered around the holiday to provide more opportunities for the public.
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Bailey, who is also the superintendent of Appomattox Court House National Historic Park, led a presentation on the connections between the two parks and how their histories are so intertwined. The ending of the war at Appomattox led to freedom for Washington and set him on a path of national importance.
Jim Bailey, superintendent of Booker T. Washington National Monument, gives a presentation about the victory that led to the end of slavery in Virginia.
鈥淭hat was their Juneteenth,鈥 Bailey said to a room full of attendees to his presentation about the end of the Civil War fighting in Virginia on April 9, 1865. The Burroughs plantation, located just 60 miles away, was where Washington would shortly learn of his freedom. That property is now Booker T. Washington National Monument.
Bailey detailed the end of the war and the last gasp of the Confederate army trying to avoid Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant鈥檚 troops that came to a head in Appomattox. He also discussed the 5,000 members of the United States Colored Troops who were present for those final battles, which included four men from Franklin County.
鈥淯p until 10 years ago their story wasn鈥檛 really being told,鈥 Bailey said about the growing research into Black men who fought for the Union. A presentation later in the day detailed recent research that found 70 Black men from Franklin County joined the United States Colored Troops.
Selena Sawyer and her brother Sean Sawyer of Maryland visited the park Friday with their grandparents Sarah and James Sawyer of 色多多. Selena said she liked seeing what she had read in her textbooks.
鈥淚t鈥檚 cool to learn about our history and see it too,鈥 she said about the park.
James Keeling, a resident of Washington, D.C., who is originally from 色多多, said he tries to visit the park each year for their Juneteenth concert held on Saturday. He enjoyed the additional educational programming this year.
鈥淭his was very informative and historical,鈥 Keeling said.
Dawn Lamb of Vinton, a frequent visitor to the park, said she came on Friday especially for the park鈥檚 Juneteenth programming.
鈥淚 wanted to participate in some Juneteenth activity,鈥 Lamb said.
With the increase in attendance over the last two days due to the expanded Juneteenth programming for the 160th year of emancipation, Bailey said they will consider offering additional programs next year. The program help to tell the story of Juneteenth, but also the life of Washington.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 help but be impressed by the story of Booker T. Washington,鈥 Bailey said.
Photos and video: Booker T. Washington National Monument celebrates Juneteenth
Jim Bailey, superintendent of Booker T. Washington National Monument near Westlake, gives a tour of the historic core of the park after the unveiling of new interpretive signs around the grounds.
Jim Bailey, superintendent of Booker T. Washington National Monument, gives a presentation about the victory that led to the end of slavery in Virginia.
New interpretive signs around the grounds of Booker T. Washington National Monument were unveiled Friday as part of the monument鈥檚 Juneteenth celebration.
Visitors make their way around Booker T. Washington National Monument on Friday during its Juneteenth celebration which lasts through the weekend and provides historical context and gospel music entertainment.
A poster of Booker T. Washington and books for sale are on display at the visitor center of the Booker T. Washington National Monument on Friday.
