Freedom Before Emancipation: Family Day for Juneteenth

Discover how enslaved men and women at Mount Vernon defined their agency and the legacies they left behind.

Family Hub

9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Visit the bowling green to learn more about the lives of enslaved people at Mount Vernon and what emancipation and resistance meant in 18th-century Virginia. Discover how enslaved men and women defined their agency and the legacies they left behind. There will be opportunities for both self and group reflection and self-expression through art. 

Performances and Demonstrations:

• Music of the Revolution: 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
• A Spy Called James by Anne Rockwell & Floyd Cooper Story Time at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Head to the Interpretive Center for special character performances that consider freedom and resistance through the eyes of Ona Judge, Christopher Sheels, and Hercules Posey.

Tours and Commemorations:

Join an Enslaved People of Mount Vernon Specialty Tour at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m. This program is included with admission. A free ticket is required to hold your place in line. Tours will start at the Mansion circle.

Honor the lives of the enslaved at our Slave Burial Ground Commemoration Ceremony at 11:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m., and 3:15 p.m.

Demonstrations:

• Spinning Demonstrations June 20 and 21 (9 a.m.-1 p.m.; 2 p.m.-5 p.m.): Stop by the spinning house in the historic area to learn about enslaved and hired spinners and 18th-century spinning techniques. 
• Cooking Demonstrations June 19 and 22 (9 a.m.-1 p.m.; 2 p.m.-5 p.m.): Visit the replica slave cabin on the Farm to learn about recipes of the enslaved community at Mount Vernon.
• Foodways of the Enslaved June 19-22 (9 a.m.-1 p.m.; 2 p.m.-5 p.m.): Visit the replica slave cabin on the Farm to learn about the role of farming, foraging, and gardening in the lives of the enslaved community at Mount Vernon.
• Blacksmith Demonstrations June 19-22 (9 a.m.-12 p.m.; 1 p.m.-5 p.m.): In the historic area, see Mount Vernon staff demonstrate 18th-century blacksmithing techniques.

Exploration

Archaeology June 19-21: Visit the Enslaved Memorial and Burial Ground to see Mount Vernon’s Archaeological Field School and learn about ongoing research about the enslaved people who lived here.