Ashland's Juneteenth celebration brings history to life with local stories
This year marks the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth, which commemorates the abolition of slavery in the United States. The celebration aims to educate attendees about Ashland County's role during the American Civil War and the fight for freedom, according to an announcement.
The event will feature living historians sharing firsthand accounts from mid-19th century residents who contributed to the understanding of liberty. Attendees can learn about the Underground Railroad, Union recruitment by Colonel James Garfield, and stories of local figures like Seth Barber and Gilbert Locke, a freedman who settled in Hayesville.
A free community picnic will be offered. The Ashland Public Library bookmobile will be present, providing books related to the celebration and activities for children.
Living history walking tours will be available at 4:15, 5:15 and 6:15 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public, with free parking available onsite. For more information, visit ashlandhistory.org or call 419-289-3111 during regular business hours.
The celebration is a collaboration between the Ashland County Historical Society, Ashland Main Street, the Ashland County Juneteenth Committee and the Ashland Public Library.
This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct or share your thoughts at http://bit.ly/3RapUkA with our News Automation and AI team.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Free Juneteenth event in Ashland features food, tours and history
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