Juneteenth, Freedom Day

June 19.jpg

 On June 19, the Bowne House celebrated Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, an American holiday acknowledging the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved African Americans in the Confederacy on June 19, 1865. Juneteenth is an exploration and celebration of African-American history and heritage, a long arduous ordeal commencing with the first enslaved African Americans brought to this country in 1619. Although we cannot celebrate with each other in person as we had hoped, this virtual acknowledgement is a sign of our respect and recognition of the importance of examining this history.

We must acknowledge the efforts made by so many in the last three centuries to see equal justice under the law for all, including Bowne House residents’ participation in the Underground Railroad to assist fugitive slaves to escape to freedom. Bowne and Parsons residents also helped to form the Flushing Female Association in 1814 which provided free education to a mixed racial group of students, including children of former Flushing slaves. In that tradition, museums like the Bowne House, a New York City Landmark, continue to educate and facilitate an examination of history and lessons to be learned for the future as we as a society consider how we can best live up to the values in the U.S. Constitution to fully embrace the humanity of each of us.

To celebrate the momentous occasion of Juneteenth, we at the Bowne House put together this quiz to feature the local history of African-Americans who risked their lives and reputations to advocate for the abolition of slavery. Join us as we commemorate these notables and their work.

Juneteenth, Freedom Day Quiz

 

BOWNE HOUSE: ON THE PATH TO FREEDOM

This narrated slide show explores the contributions of the Bowne and Parsons family to the Abolition movement of the 19th century and the place of the Bowne House on the Underground Railroad. Archivist Charlotte Jackson draws upon original documents, many from the Museum’s own collections, to tell the story.

SLIDESHOW INSTRUCTIONS:

  • We suggest enlarging to full-screen for the best viewing experience. Click the icon in the bottom right corner to enlarge.

  • Click the “Play” icon in the center of the image to hear the audio.

  • If you do not see the Play arrow in the center but instead a dash (-) with three dots to the right, click on the dots and a menu will come up with play at the top. Click on play.

  • Use the forward and back arrows in the bottom toolbar to advance the slides.

We hope you enjoyed this slideshow. If you would like to support our education and preservation missions, we appreciate any donation you care to make.