A North Carolina tradition was to celebrate Emancipation Day, a commemoration of the Emancipation Proclamation. Traditionally this was celebrated on January 1st, and included a parade and program, followed by singing, poetry reading, and speeches by both black and white leaders.
On Friday, January 5, and Saturday, January 6, 2024, the City or Raleigh is presenting an Emancipation Day Trolley Tour. It will leave from John P “Top” Greene Community Center, 401 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Raleigh, NC.
The tour is from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m, and costs $10 for adults and $4 for children. Register on RecLink.
Learn about all the Emancipation Day events in the Triangle.
Back by popular demand, author and local historian Carmen Wimberly Cauthen will be doing her trolley tour of Historic Black Neighborhoods for Emancipation Day! Join Cauthen to explore some of Raleigh’s Historic Black Neighborhoods. The tour will start at the John P “Top” Greene Community Center (401 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd).
About the book: The story of Raleigh’s African-American communities begins before the Civil War.
Towns like Oberlin Village were built by free people of color in the antebellum era. During Reconstruction, the creation of thirteen freedmen’s villages defined the racial boundaries of Raleigh. These neighborhoods demonstrate the determination and resilience of formerly enslaved North Carolinians. After World War II, new suburbs sprang up, telling tales of the growth and struggles of the Black community under Jim Crow. Many of these communities endure today. Dozens of never-published pictures and maps illustrate this hidden history.
Local historian Carmen Wimberly Cauthen tells the story of a people who—despite slavery—wanted to learn, grow, and be treated as any others.
City of Raleigh
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Emancipation Day Events in the Triangle
Learn about Celebrating Emancipation Day in the Triangle, or take a quick look at some upcoming events:
