News Release

“Blow Ye Trumpet, Blow” Celebrating Freedom and Juneteenth at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace 2023

Date: June 1, 2023
Contact: Stacy Humphreys, [phone]

HODGENVILLE, Ky – On Saturday, June 17, 2023, the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park will be celebrating its annual Juneteenth Observance. The programs for this observance are free and will be held at the Birthplace Visitor Center and grounds.

A lineup of Kentucky Humanities Chautauqua presenters will be presented on Saturday the 17th, in the Birthplace visitor center auditorium, beginning at 1:00 p.m. (EST) with Virgil Covington Jr. who will portray William Wells Brown in a living history presentation “How I Got My Name.” William Wells Brown was a Kentucky freedom seeker who escaped to a life of freedom in 1834. At 2:00 p.m. (EST) Elizabeth Lawson as Charlotte Dupuy will give a living history presentation “Suing for Freedom”, which will discuss her fight for justice and her freedom suite against Henry Clay; Dupuy was later emancipated by Henry Clay in 1840. At 3:00 p.m. (EST) Obadiah Ewing-Roush will portray John G. Fee in “Abolition…Amen!” as the ardent Kentucky abolitionist and founder of Berea College.

In addition to the speaker lineup, outdoor events will include ongoing activities for children, families, and the general public and will take place over the weekend from June 17, through June 19, from 11:00 a.m. and until 4:00 p.m. each day. These activities include Underground Railroad Jr Ranger books that will be distributed and available, a freedom bell construction activity, and contemplation stations situated throughout the park in which the general public can leave their thoughts on the greater meaning of freedom, Juneteenth, and the legacy of Abraham Lincoln and his promise of freedom. All events are free to the public. All times listed are Eastern Standard Time.

Juneteenth is a federal holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. One June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger of the United States army proclaimed freedom for slaves in Texas. After that day, Juneteenth became a celebration of freedom for all and of democracy in America.

For more information about the events, visit the park’s Facebook page at https:www.facebook.com/LincolnBirthplaceNPS or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/abli. Any delay or cancellation of the event due to severe weather will be posted on our Facebook page.

www.nps.gov

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.