Come and visit Stratford Hall on July 16th for First Africans Day, commemorating the enslaved Africans and African Americans who built and sustained Stratford Hall and the Lee family for generations. This will be a free, full day of remembering and honoring those enslaved at Stratford Hall and their descendants, through music, storytelling, special tours, and lectures.
Schedule:
11:00-11:45 am: Opening Ceremony: African drumming, singing, and a performance by the Shiloh Baptist Church Choir. Gravestone dedication, African American Cemetery
1:00 pm: Performance by Storyteller & Performer Valerie Davis, Council House
2:00-3:30 pm: Bessida White, African American Genealogy Workshop, Council House
5:00-5:30 pm: The Chronicles of Adam Performance, Great Hall in Great House
5:30-6:30: pm Open Mic, Great Hall in Great House
PLEASE NOTE: The last Audio Tour will begin at 2:00 pm due to the programs in the Great House.
7:00 pm Closing Ceremony, shoreline of the Potomac River
12:00 - 5:00 pm: Demonstrations throughout the Historic Site
Dontavius Williams, African American Historical Foodways Demonstration, Historic Kitchen
Nicole Moore, 19th century African American History and Culture, Payne Memorial Cabin