History Center To Celebrate Juneteenth with Freetown Village Singers

Terre Haute, Ind. - The Vigo County History Center is pleased to honor and celebrate Juneteenth 2023 on Monday, June 19. Falling on a day the History Center would typically be closed, staffers not only plan to open the facility, but will mark the day with performers, educational speaker sessions and more. 

One of the standout offerings will come from featured guests, the Freetown Village Singers. According to the group’s website, the Indianapolis based company, creates performances for, “Preserving African American traditions and culture through storytelling and song… an interactive collection of traditional folk songs and Negro spirituals… Listen and be moved by the Freetown Village Singers as they share this American traditional music and learn the often hidden meanings tucked into the words of the songs.” The group will perform at 2pm.

History Center Curator Suzy Quick, who has been working on planning the day’s events, says the general public, as well as History Center members and guests are invited to attend the event, which is FREE and open to the public.

In addition, as in past years, historic black men and women from Vigo County will also be highlighted throughout the day. 

“I am so excited that the History Center is able to offer these types of programs to the community,” Quick explains. “I can’t overstress the importance of learning what this holiday means for all people. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom we embrace at the History Center and plan to continue to include in our annual events.”

Local historian Dr. Crystal Reynolds, a frequent contributor at the History Center, will also be present to give a brief talk on Emancipation Day in Vigo County and the early history of Juneteenth.

Of her presentation, Dr. Reynolds explains, “Juneteenth is just one of many African American emancipation celebrations. For over 150 years, African Americans have celebrated emancipation on different dates and in different ways. Some states have celebrated January 1, 1963, the date the Emancipation Proclamation became effective, as emancipation day. Some states celebrate June 19, 1865, the ending of slavery in the last slave state, as emancipation day. Terre Haute historically celebrated September 22, 1862 as its emancipation day, the date of the preliminary emancipation proclamation. For over 100 years Terre Haute and Vigo County engaged in a variety of celebrations to recognize the day. I will briefly detail the African American emancipation celebration traditions in Terre Haute during the last 100 years.”

First recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth was established to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining "June" and "nineteenth", it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas. The holiday was celebrated in various parts of the United States until President Joe Biden signed the “Juneteenth National Independence Day Act” into law.