Honor Juneteenth in Alexandria With In-Person Tours and Virtual Celebrations
ALEXANDRIA, VA-Alexandria offers a range of ways to honor Juneteenth, which marks the day on which enslaved individuals in Galveston, TX, learned that the Emancipation Proclamation had freed them more than two years earlier. In the days and weeks surrounding Juneteenth, participate in jubilee celebrations including in-person and virtual concerts, enriching historical tours and more. Learn more about Juneteenth and its connection to the city as well as the Black Lives Matter Movement from Black History Museum Director Audrey Davis, and dive deeper into Alexandria’s Black history and culture. Plus, discover 24 Alexandria Black-Owned Businesses to Support this Juneteenth and year-round.
Virtual and In-Person Events in Alexandria, VA
Juneteenth Celebration: “Day of Jubilee!”
June 17, 2021, at 5:30 and 7 p.m.
Admission: $42 per person
The Rectory at Princess Street, 711 Princess St., Alexandria, VA 22314
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, 2021, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Admission: $10 per person
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA 22314
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, 2021 at 11 a.m.
Admission: Free
Virtual
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, 2021 (and weekends throughout June)
Admission: $15 per adult; $12 per child
Meeting locations vary throughout Old Town, Alexandria, VA 22314
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, 2021, from 12 to 5 p.m.
Admission: Free
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA 22314
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, 2021 at 2 p.m.
Admission: Free
Virtual
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, 2021, at 2 p.m.
Admission: $10 per person
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco St., Alexandria, VA 22314
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.
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