Department Resources

Juneteenth

Juneteenth Commemoration at Sully Historic Site

Thank you to our 2024 Sully Historic Site Juneteenth Commemoration Sponsors! The Sully Historic Site Juneteenth Commemoration is provided through a partnership between the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Fairfax County Park Foundation, the Sully Foundation and the Friends of Historic Centreville.

On June 19, 1865, the last of enslaved Black people living in Galveston, Texas were told the Civil War had ended; the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln; and all Black people were now free from the bondage of slavery. This date came to be known as Juneteenth and is now a day to celebrate freedom and resiliency after 246 years of enslavement; appreciate African American history and culture; and encourage continuous self-development. To share additional information for potential inclusion on this page, please email parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Freedom at Green Spring…Sooner or Later

In 1777, gentleman freeholder John Moss (c. 1723-1809) established Green Spring Farm in Alexandria. Today, the family home that was built in 1784 is open to the public as the Historic House at Green Spring Gardens. As a landowner and a justice of the county court who had served George Washington during the Revolutionary War, Moss was no doubt influenced by the enlightened ideals that triggered the revolution and led to growing unease over the legitimacy of slavery. Yet many “enlightened” enslavers continued to uphold the practice, including John Moss.

OSP Blog - A Juneteenth Tea for Two

At Green Spring Gardens, friendships have been forged over afternoon tea, a social ritual that has been connecting people for centuries. A bronze sculpture named “Let’s Have Tea” in Rochester, New York, depicts two unlikely friends bonding over cups of tea and provides food for thought on Juneteenth...

OSP Blog - Jinny: A Glimpse at her American Story

American history is shaped by all who participate. That includes the millions of enslaved people who did not always have a voice. The institution of slavery came in many forms. One was the hiring out, or renting, of enslaved people. The Machen family at Walney Farm...

OSP Blog - Set Free: In all things to act and do as a free man

“All slaves are free.”

Our country celebrates those words on Juneteenth. It was June 19, 1865, when U. S. General Gordon Granger read aloud General Orders No. 3, “…in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

Federal troops had arrived in Galveston, Texas, to regain control of the state. Six months later, on December 6, 1865, Congress ratified the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, formally ending slavery in the United States...

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