HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The public is invited to join the Doleman Black Heritage Museum in Hagerstown for a three-day Juneteenth Celebration, from June 18th through 20th. This multi-venue event occurs in celebration of Juneteenth, a cultural holiday marking the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, freeing thousands of enslaved African-Americans in Texas.
The first day of this event, set for June 18th at 11 a.m., is a memorial prayer brunch at Applause Caterers on 58 E. Washington St. in Hagerstown. This gathering will honor the lives of Deborah Parson and Herman “Skip” Davis Jr., while also serving as a period of community bonding and reflection. Entry into this event is $35.
Day two of this celebration falls on June 19th, the official holiday of Juneteenth. Combining themes of elegance, history and community, a masquerade ball will fill Cortland Mansion in Hagerstown’s north end. Guests should attend in formal wear to enjoy fine dining and live entertainment. Entry into this event is $100. Funds raised from this series of events will benefit the Doleman Black Heritage Museum.
The final day of this event, June 20th, is a Celebration of Survival. The Doleman Black Heritage Museum plans to transform Wheaton Park on Sumans Avenue in Hagerstown, into a display of community and culture. Activities are planned throughout the day, beginning with a unity memorial walk, and closing out with a primetime concert. Aside from these, guests should look forward to live entertainment, spoken-word poetry, a display of “Black History Through Fashion” and tributes to past local icons. This event is free and open to the public.
Project manager for the Doleman Black Heritage Museum, Alesia Parson-McBean, said about the event, “For the Doleman Black Heritage Museum, Juneteenth is and has always been a Celebration of Survival. It honors the strength, determination, faith and perseverance of those who endured and overcame so that future generations could continue the journey forward.”
Parson-McBean also told LocalNews1 that the ultimate goal of this event is education through celebration. The Doleman Black Heritage Museum seeks to share Black history and honor ancestors by means of community engagement.
For more information about this event, readers should visit, https://www.visithagerstown.com/events/26814/30482/juneteenth-celebration-of-survival. Be sure to look at each day on the calendar for more information about each event on the 18th, 19th and 20th.
To see more from the Doleman Black Heritage Museum, readers may visit https://www.dolemanblackheritagemuseum.org/.
