Juneteenth celebrations at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens
by Jenny Peterson | News Editor
Juneteenth acknowledges the date of June 19, 1865 and the issue of “General Order No. 3,” which informed the people of Texas that all enslaved people were now free. The date was dedicated as a federal holiday by President Biden in 2021.
On Friday, June 21, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens will mark the occasion with a “Campfire Conversation,” from 7 p.m. – 8 :30- p.m. with a deep dive conversation centered on slavery and its legacy. It will be held by Joseph McGill Jr., founder of the Slave Dwelling Project, and moderated by George H. McDaniel, director of interpretation at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens.
On Saturday, June 22, attendees at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens can expect a day filled with learning, reflection and celebration to honor and recognize the emancipation of those who were once enslaved—including hundreds of men and women who worked the very land at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens.
A local gospel group, Oh Happy Day, will give a special musical performance. The inspirational and educational musical experience will take attendees on a journey through the history of gospel music, showcasing its unifying power from slavery to freedom. This group’s combination of narration and soul-stirring music will create a memorable and uplifting experience for the entire family.
There will be living history stories with a reenactment of Harriet Tubman’s journey and demonstrations on brickmaking, cooking and sweetgrass baskets.
Food vendors on Saturday will include This Little Piggy BBQ and James Brown’s Famous Boiled Peanuts. McGill, who along with former Magnolia marketing director Herb Frazier co-authored the book Sleeping with the Ancestors: How I Followed the Footprints of Slavery, will be on hand signing copies of his book at the event. The day will conclude at 3 p.m. with a special address from McGill.
On Sunday, June 23, there will be a special class in which students will be given an opportunity to craft their own sweetgrass basket (additional tickets required).
“We want people when they come to historic sites like plantations to get the whole story, not just the glorified story of large houses and hoop skirts…we want them to learn about what made all that possible—chattel slavery,” said McGill. “We want people to know that enslaved people were still human despite what the laws and the people who enslaved them thought of them as we demonstrate their humanity and their agencies.”
This is the second year that the Slave Dwelling Project has worked with Magnolia Plantation & Gardens on holding special Juneteenth programming. The non-profit, based in Ladson, holds living history presentations, arranges overnight trips to sleep in slave cabins as part of an educational experience and holds talks and seminars to discuss the history of slavery across the nation.
“The partnership between Magnolia Plantation & Gardens and the Slave Dwelling Project is of deep significance. This collaboration aims to educate visitors about the plantation’s history, including its ties to slavery and the contributions of the enslaved to the Magnolia Plantation. By working together, both organizations hope to foster awareness, understanding and dialogue surrounding this important chapter in American history,” McGill said. “Any opportunity that we get to honor our enslaved ancestors, we welcome with open arms. The fact that Magnolia is going that extra mile, I think that’s a lovely thing.”
Throughout the year, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens offers a “from slavery to freedom” tour for attendees to get a snapshot of life over the plantation’s 350-year history. McDaniel said that Magnolia is proud to honor Juneteeth with special programming.
“By lifting up and celebrating Juneteenth, we recognize and faithfully remember the countless souls across the centuries who were enslaved. In doing so, we give voice to those who have long been voiceless and celebrate their humanity,” McDaniel said. “Their vibrant legacies have left an indelible mark on American culture, and we are honored and humbled to acknowledge those magnificent gifts.”
McDaniel adds, “James Baldwin once wrote, ‘The great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us … history is literally present in all that we do.’ Magnolia’s history is inextricably linked to slavery. The enslaved built this place. They lived here and they died here. Therefore, it is important for us as an institution to celebrate and honor Juneteenth. In doing so, we acknowledge the painful history of slavery and the scar that it has left upon this land. We also celebrate and lift up the lives of the over 550 named individuals we have identified who were enslaved at Magnolia and those many more for whom we do not know names. We give voice to those who have long been left voiceless and recognize their important contributions to this world in which we live. Their vibrant legacies—through food, music, storytelling, and even the beautiful gardens here at Magnolia—have left an indelible mark on American culture and we are honored and humbled to pay tribute to their legacy through celebrating Juneteenth.”
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens is located at 3550 Ashley River Road. Visit www.magnoliaplantation.com for more information. To learn more about The Slave Dwelling Project, visit www.slavedwellingproject.org.
