City of Tallahassee Invites Residents to Celebrate Emancipation Day

City of Tallahassee Invites Residents to Celebrate Emancipation Day

Community Events Scheduled May 16-20

May 12, 2026

Immerse yourself in history as the City of Tallahassee and community partners observe Florida's Emancipation Day. The holiday recognizes May 20, 1865, when the Emancipation Proclamation was read on the steps of the Knott House by General Edward McCook. That's when the enslaved in Florida learned they were free - two years after the document was issued by President Abraham Lincoln.

Throughout the month, there are many ways to commemorate Emancipation Day. The City of Tallahassee proudly supports the 20th of May - Emancipation in Florida project, presented by the Knott House Museum and the John G. Riley Center & Museum. The free, multi-day event includes the following family-friendly activities:

Saturday, May 16

"Walk Through Living History"

• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. "Walk Through Living History" at Speed-Spencer-Stephens Park, 1907 Saxon St. The 2^nd Infantry Regiment United States Colored Troops (USCT) hosts this living history celebration and commemoration of the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in Florida. It's a great, interactive event for all ages.

Monday, May 18

Tour Restored African American Cemeteries

• 11 a.m. to noon Houstoun Cemetery Commemoration Ceremony, presented by the City of Tallahassee, at Capital City Country Club,1601 Golf Terrace. A shuttle from the parking lot will be provided to the ceremony site.
• 1-2 p.m. Betton Hill Cemetery on Betton Road
• 2-3 p.m. Munree Cemetery on Edenfield Road at Miccosukee Road
• 3-4 p.m. Hickory Hill Cemetery at Welaunee Trail on Miccosukee Road

Tuesday, May 19

Journey to Emancipation in Florida Conference

• 8:30 a.m. Journey to Emancipation in Florida Conference at Parkview at Cascades (registration required). Hosted by the Florida Black American Heritage Preservation Network (FAAHPN), enjoy a keynote speech at 9 a.m. by Dr. Rik Stevenson, a retired pastor and professor at United Theological Seminary. Dr. Stevenson will speak on African American theology and his archaeological research on sunken slave vessels.

Wednesday, May 20 - Emancipation Day

• 10 a.m. John G. Riley Center & Museum Civil War Commemorative Service at Old City Cemetery, 400 W. Park Ave. The 2^nd Infantry Regiment USCT will dedicate a 21-gun salute to fallen Union soldiers. Members of the community will decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers.
• 11 a.m. Church bells in Tallahassee will ring for two minutes to announce the dawning of the special day of freedom.
• 11:30 a.m. Dramatic reading of the Emancipation Proclamation on the steps of the Knott House Museum, 301 E. Park Avenue. In the place where the Emancipation Proclamation was first read in Florida, this year's program features State Historic Preservation Officer Alissa Lotane and Dr. Larry E. Rivers, distinguished professor of history at Florida A&M University, and music by Christopher White and Brownsville Preparatory Institute students. After the program, free lunch and family-friendly activities will follow in Lewis Park, across from the Knott House Museum.
• 2-4 p.m. Historic sites open:
  • Florida Historic Capitol Museum, 400 S. Monroe St.
  • The Grove Museum, 902 N. Monroe St.
  • John G. Riley Center & Museum, 419 E. Jefferson St.
  • Union Bank Museum, 219 Apalachee Parkway

EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For more information about these and other Emancipation Day events, visit 20thofMay.com or call the City's John G. Riley Center & Museum at 850-891-3563.

The City of Tallahassee's administrative offices will be closed on May 20 in observance of the holiday. The Tallahassee City Commission approved the paid holiday to honor Florida's history in November 2020.