https://www.nps.gov/bowa News releases from Booker T Washington National Monument. en-us https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/fighting-for-freedom-courage-and-emancipation-in-central-virginia-during-the-civil-war-era.htm Wed, 21 Jan 2026 02:00:00 EST A free seminar will take place on February 15 that explores the efforts of African Americans throughout the Civil War, the Freedmen’s Bureau in central Virginia and the lives and contributions of United States Colored Troops (USCTs) from Franklin County, Virginia. https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/fighting-for-freedom-courage-and-emancipation-in-central-virginia-during-the-civil-war-era.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/an-old-virginia-christmas-at-booker-t-washington-nm.htm Fri, 21 Nov 2025 07:00:00 EST Step back in time into an 1860s holiday as Dr. Booker T. Washington described it in “Christmas Days in Old Virginia.” https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/an-old-virginia-christmas-at-booker-t-washington-nm.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/tourism-to-booker-t-washington-nm-contributes-$1-7-million-to-local-economy.htm Thu, 25 Sep 2025 20:00:00 EST A new National Park Service report shows that 24,200 visitors to Booker T. Washington National Monument in 2024 spent $1.7 million in communities near the park. That spending supported the local area. https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/tourism-to-booker-t-washington-nm-contributes-$1-7-million-to-local-economy.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/booker-t-washington-nm-commemorates-the-130th-anniversary-of-the-speech-that-propelled-washington-to-national-fame.htm Wed, 10 Sep 2025 12:30:00 EST Booker T. Washington National Monument will commemorate the 130th anniversary of Washington’s speech that propelled him to national fame, the opening speech at the 1895 Cotton States and Industrial Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia. https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/booker-t-washington-nm-commemorates-the-130th-anniversary-of-the-speech-that-propelled-washington-to-national-fame.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/160th-anniversary-of-the-emancipation-of-booker-t-washington-and-juneteenth-event.htm Sun, 08 Jun 2025 20:00:00 EST Booker T Washington National Monument will commemorate the 160th anniversary of the emancipation of Booker T Washington with special events June 20-22, 2025. https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/160th-anniversary-of-the-emancipation-of-booker-t-washington-and-juneteenth-event.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/old-virginia-christmas-2024.htm Fri, 15 Nov 2024 07:48:00 EST Step back in time into a mid-19th century Christmas, to learn about the sights, sounds, and fragrances of Christmas as Dr. Booker T. Washington described it "Christmas Days in Old Virginia." The event will take place on Friday, December 6 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Booker T. Washington National Monument. https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/old-virginia-christmas-2024.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/winter-2023-2024-operations-at-booker-t-washington-national-mm.htm Mon, 27 Nov 2023 03:54:00 EST Booker T. Washington National Monument's winter schedule will run from Sunday, December 3, 2023 through March 2024. https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/winter-2023-2024-operations-at-booker-t-washington-national-mm.htm https://www.nps.gov/cato/learn/news/reducing-deer-numbers-and-removing-invasive-plants-are-key-to-long-term-forest-health.htm Tue, 04 Apr 2023 07:20:00 EST Most forests in eastern United States national parks are at risk due to browsing by overabundant white-tailed deer and crowding by invasive plants, according to a National Park Service (NPS) study published in the journal Ecological Applications. https://www.nps.gov/cato/learn/news/reducing-deer-numbers-and-removing-invasive-plants-are-key-to-long-term-forest-health.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/footprints-women-who-influenced-booker-t-washington.htm Mon, 27 Mar 2023 10:13:00 EST On Saturday, April 1, 2023, at 2:00 p.m., Booker T. Washington National Monument will host the program “Footprints: The Women Who Influenced Booker T. Washington.” The public is invited to attend this FREE presentation of four women dressed in period appropriate clothing representing some of the women who were an integral part of Dr. Booker T. Washington’s life! https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/footprints-women-who-influenced-booker-t-washington.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/bailey2023-super.htm Thu, 23 Mar 2023 08:06:00 EST National Park Service Deputy Regional Director Kirsten Talken-Spaulding has selected James (Jim) Bailey as the new superintendent of both Appomattox Court House National Historical Park and Booker T. Washington National Monument in Virginia, starting this spring. https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/bailey2023-super.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/21st-juneteenth-event.htm Fri, 03 Jun 2022 03:55:00 EST Booker T. Washington National Monument began commemorating Juneteenth with a free, community gospel music celebration in 2002. After a 2-year hiatus from a live event due to Covid-19 and CDC regulations, this year Booker T. Washington National Monument will host its 21st Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom on Saturday, June 18, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.!  https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/21st-juneteenth-event.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/booker-books.htm Tue, 04 Aug 2020 10:37:00 EST The Franklin County Public Library has unveiled a collection of books about the life and times of Booker T. Washington, the pioneering educator and orator who hailed from Franklin County. Containing more than 385 books, the collection was donated by the Booker T. Washington National Monument (BTWNM) of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/booker-books.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/covid-closure.htm Tue, 31 Mar 2020 09:30:00 EST Booker T. Washington National Monument is announcing additional modifications to operations in response to the state of Virginia’s Stay at Home Order. https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/covid-closure.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/snyder-superintendent.htm Wed, 12 Jun 2019 05:56:00 EST National Park Service Northeast Regional Director Gay Vietzke has named Robin Snyder as the superintendent of Booker T. Washington National Monument in Hardy, Virginia. Snyder will remain superintendent of Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, where she has worked since 2015. https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/snyder-superintendent.htm https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/juneteenth-celebration-of-freedom-gospel-event.htm Sun, 28 May 2017 18:55:00 EST Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom Gospel Event to be held on June 17, 2017 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Take part in a re-enactment of the announcement that the slaves were freed in the spring of 1865 on the Burroughs plantation. https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/news/juneteenth-celebration-of-freedom-gospel-event.htm