Riley House to Celebrate National Day of Freedom
History of Emancipation Takes Center Stage During Virtual Event
December 01, 2020
The John G. Riley House Center and Museum will host a virtual panel discussion this Sunday, Dec. 6, exploring the historical significance of the day and the ratification of the 13th Amendment. Dubbed "December 6 – National Day of Freedom," the free event, which runs from 4-6:30 p.m., will feature four consecutive, 30-minute sessions to help participants learn and engage. Panelists include statewide historians, museum directors, government leaders and university professors.
"Though he did not live to see the ratification of the 13th Amendment, President Abraham Lincoln’s efforts to make free those who had been enslaved in all states became a reality on December 6, 1865," said City of Tallahassee Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox, who will provide opening remarks for the event. "We will pause to commemorate this moment in American history as National Freedom Day."
The first session will focus on "The Road to Emancipation," covering the period from 1860 (when Lincoln was sworn in as President of the United States) to Jan. 1, 1863 (the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation). Panelists will include Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor and Clifton Lewis, curator of the L.B. Brown House and historian with the Florida Museum Network.
The second session, “Emancipation and Commemorations,” will include panelists Sgt. Major Jarvis Rosier; Tim Barber, executive director of the Miami-Dade Black Archive and Museum; and Althemese Barnes, founding director and Director Emeritus of the Riley Center and Museum. The three historians will discuss the transactions in the Emancipation Process, covering the period from Jan. 1, 1863, to Dec. 6, 1865 (when the 13th Amendment was ratified).
The third session, "Preserving the History of Emancipation in Florida - and Nationally," will chronicle the process that led to the freeing of all enslaved people in the United States. Panelists will include State Representative Geraldine Thompson with the Orlando Wells’Built Museum; Dr. Sandra Thompson with Legacy Communities and Florida A&M University; Leon Russell, chairman of the NAACP Board of Directors; and Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox.
The final panel, "New Day of Freedom," will highlight the commemorations surrounding emancipation. Panelists will also discuss the historical distinctions between Jan. 1, 1863, when some of the enslaved people were freed, and Dec. 6, 1865, when all enslaved people were emancipated. Panelists will include Mutaqee Akbar, president of the Leon County Chapter of the NAACP and practicing attorney, and Commissioner Bill Proctor.
After the panel sessions, there will be a Q&A period.
The event will be held via WebEx, an online video conferencing platform. Participants can register at https://bit.ly/2HXHjgx. By participating online, attendees will be able to ask questions and interact with panelists following the presentations.
Tallahassee residents can also view a live broadcast of the event on WCOT, the City's government-access television station (Comcast and CenturyLink channel 13).
The "December 6 - National Day of Freedom" event is presented by the John G. Riley Center and Museum, City of Tallahassee, Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network, Council on Culture and the Arts, Florida Department of State and the Knott House Museum.
Research, education and discovery remain a focus of the John G. Riley Center and Museum's mission and purpose through its educational programs that promote history and culture. It is located at 419 E. Jefferson Street in the historic Riley House, constructed in 1890, and is operated and maintained by the City of Tallahassee. Learn more at RileyMuseum.org.
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