"Juneteenth is a time to gather as a family, reflect on the past and look to the future..."

Join NVAR for an exclusive access tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This tour will be taking place on Wednesday, June 22 from 7 AM until 11 AM. During your visit, you will have time to peruse the facilities at your own pace, taking in all that the museum has to offer. After our VIP access to the museum ends at 10 AM, guests will still have one additional hour to tour.

Schedule:

• 6:30 AM- Light Breakfast Served in NVAR Atrium
• 7 AM- Depart From NVAR
• 8 AM to 10 AM- Exclusive Access to the Museum
• 11 AM- End of Museum Access
• 11:20 AM- Depart from Museum
• 12 PM- Arrive at NVAR
• 12:05 PM- Barbecue Picnic Begins*

*Guests of the tour are encouraged to stay and network after we return from the museum. 

Freedom papers and handmade tin carrying box belonging to Joseph Trammell

Issued By: Loudon County Court, 1852
Used By: Joseph Trammell, American, 1831 - 1859

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What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is a significant date in American history and for the African American experience. The name is a take on the date of June 19, 1865. This was the day that the Union Army made its way to Galveston, TX under the leadership of General Gordon Granger, and he announced to the people of Texas that all enslaved African Americans were free.

Although there were enslavers who were aware of the implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation, which went into effect on January 1, 1863, it wasn’t until June 19, 1865 that the Union Army actually enforced the presidential proclamation. 

Emancipation Day celebration, June 19, 1900 held in "East Woods" on East 24th Street in Austin. Credit: Austin History Center.

Notable Exhibits:

Power of Place - 

African American communities have formed in all corners of the country and influenced the regions around them. Their stories reflect the resiliency of African Americans in making places for themselves and overcoming the challenges they faced.

Making a Way Out of No Way -

Through education, religious institutions, businesses, the press, and voluntary associations, African Americans created ways to serve and strengthen their communities. They also developed a tradition of activism that paved the way for broader social change.

Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom -

With the end of slavery, African Americans had hoped to attain full citizenship. Instead they confronted a new form of oppression—segregation. Through their century-long struggle for civil rights, they challenged the nation to live up to its ideals of freedom and equality.