The end of the Civil War was not the end of the story. Historic Stagville will commemorate the end of the Civil War with “Freedom 150” May 30, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The free event will examine the effect of the end of the Civil War on the African American population, the rise of the black church and the creation of the sharecropping system.
Historic interpreters will share what the joys and uncertainties were for the newly emancipated population of Stagville Plantation, once one of the largest in the South. U.S. Colored Troop re-enactors, live music and children’s activities will be shared. A rare, hearth-cooked lunch will be offered for sale.
A special treat will be a presentation by Joseph McGill of the Slave Dwelling Project discussing the importance of preserving slave cabins, including the ones at Stagville. Hikes through the Horton Grove Nature Preserve led by Triangle Land Conservancy will be available.
“Freedom 150” is part of the Civil War 150th Anniversary commemoration administered by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. Historic Stagville is located at 5838 Old Oxford Highway, Durham. It is within the Division of State Historic Sites, part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.