Tallahassee’s Emancipation Week began Saturday with a Walk Through Living History event in the city’s historic South Side neighborhood, honoring Florida’s Emancipation Day and the moment enslaved individuals in Florida learned they were free on May 20th, 1865.
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Tallahassee Emancipation Week: Walk Through Living History event
Actors reenacted pivotal moments in Black history, transforming the South Side into a moving, multigenerational lesson as families walked through scenes of the past.
Organizers say events like this are about more than reflection; they are about preserving stories that shaped Tallahassee and building stronger connections throughout the community.
“It’s sad that a lot of our history is being taken out of the schools or rewritten with revisionist history, so we try to give history and a perspective that is truthful, living history, not only talking about it, but to see,” Jarvis Rosier Sr., Retired Army Sergeant Major, said.
For many attendees, that mission hit home.
“Experiencing different cultures is always exciting. You learn new things, and when people experience our culture, you’re able to teach them new things. So, I just think for the enrichment of a community as a whole, it’s important to embrace our differences and experience one another’s culture,” Natasha Wilson, community member, said.
Natasha Wilson, a Tallahassee native who grew up on the South Side, said she had never been able to participate in Emancipation Week before and made it her mission to do so this year. Wilson said she plans to attend more events throughout the week.
“My friend was able to be tested for the sickle cell trait. We talked to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections. We were surprised by the table that spoke about tracing your roots, so we got a lot of great information from them,” Wilson said.
Emancipation Week events continue through Wednesday and include cemetery tours, a history conference, and the annual reading of the Emancipation Proclamation on the steps of the Knot House Museum.
All events are free and open to the public in Downtown Tallahassee.
Monday, May 18th: 11:00 a.m. to Noon.
Tour Restored African American Cemeteries, including a commemoration ceremony at the Houstoun Cemetery at Capital City Country Club,1601 Golf Terrace.
Tuesday, May 19th: 8:30 a.m.
Journey to Emancipation in Florida Conference at 8:30 a.m. at Parkview at Cascades (registration required).
Wednesday, May 20th Emancipation Day
10:00 a.m. John G. Riley Center & Museum Civil War Commemorative Service at Old City Cemetery, 400 W. Park Ave.
11:00 a.m. Church bells in Tallahassee will ring for two minutes to announce the dawning of the special day of freedom.
11:30 a.m. Dramatic reading of the Emancipation Proclamation on the steps of the Knott House Museum, 301 E. Park Avenue. After the program, free lunch and family-friendly activities will follow in Lewis Park, across from the Knott House Museum.
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Historic sites open, including Florida Historic Capitol Museum, 400 S. Monroe St.; The Grove Museum, 902 N. Monroe St.; John G. Riley Center & Museum, 419 E. Jefferson St.; and Union Bank Museum, 219 Apalachee Parkway
Both Leon County and the City of Tallahassee has announced office closures. You can find those details here.
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