PETERSBURG, VA - Petersburg National Battlefield is partnering with The National Juneteenth Observance Foundation for a free event on Thursday, May 25, 2023, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. This event will feature a Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony performed by United States Colored Troops (USCT) re-enactors. The program will honor the USCT’s journey, as part of the U.S. Army expedition starting at City Point, setting sail for Texas at the end of the Civil War. They helped enforce the freedom of those enslaved in the remote areas of the Confederacy. There will also be guest speakers highlighting this powerful story. Following the program, park staff will offer tours of City Point and the Appomattox Plantation buildings. Parking for the program is at the Old City Point Waterfront Park, 1199 Pecan Avenue, Hopewell, VA 23860. Additional parking will be available up the hill at Grant’s Headquarters main parking area.
If you go
The General Grant’s Headquarters Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield, 1001 Pecan Avenue, Hopewell, VA, 23860, includes a visitor contact station inside the Eppes Family plantation home built in 1763. Visitors can tour the area around the Eppes home, including plantation outbuildings and numerous exhibits that focus on plantation life for free and enslaved people. The grounds are open from sunrise to sunset. Please bring water and wear comfortable clothing appropriate for the weather.
For more information about the event contact the Manager of Interpretation at (804) 732-3531 ext. 201, or by email Eric Scheiner. To learn more about Petersburg National Battlefield, follow the park on social media, @PetersburgNPS, or visit the park website at www.npes.gov/pete.
Tags: usct city point juneteenth petersburg campaign petersburg national battlefield
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service