The opening ceremony of Juneteenth will be held on Fri., June 17th at 6:30 PM. at the African American Ancestral Burial Ground of Vale Cemetery. Juneteenth commemorates the Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery in the U.S.
Vale Cemetery is the final resting place of Moses Viney, a former slave who fled Maryland with the help of the Underground Railroad. Befriended by Eliphalet Nott, the President of Union College, Viney became a well known revered Union College figure. Buying the college coaches and horses he became a prosperous businessman. Also in the African American Burial Ground are a number of graves of members of the U.S. Colored troops of the Union Army.
The Juneteenth ceremony will include music, dances and oratory. This year the theme is "Kwanza in June", the 7 principles for community success.
The ceremony will be followed by an ice cream social!
Tours, unless otherwise noted, start at 2 p.m. from the Caretaker's Cottage adjacent to the main entrance on State Street.
There is ample parking available and due to the size of the cemetery/park a shuttle bus is used. There is a $7 donation requested with children under 12 free.