WASHINGTON — Prince William County will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War with ‘Juneteenth’ activities on Saturday.
On June 19, 1865, slavery officially ended when General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced the end of the Civil War. That day became known as Juneteenth, and Prince William County has activities lined up to mark the occasion.
“We have lots of opportunities to for families and individuals to come out, enjoy an afternoon, and remember this, tragically, too-often forgotten holiday,” said Martin E. Nohe, Prince William County supervisor.
Some of the activities at the event will include the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Order for Texas, folk dancers, gospel singers, historical presentations, children’s games, and an oratorical by Frederick Douglass as given by historic interpreter LeCount Holmes. Local food trucks will also be in attendance.
The first causalities of the Civil War took place in Prince William County at the Battle of Manassas, making this celebration even more special.
“We’re one of the wealthiest communities in the United States, and at the same time we’re also one of the most diverse communities in the United States,” Nohe said, noting how far the county has come culturally. “Fifty years ago, maybe this wasn’t a community that would celebrate Juneteenth in this way.”
