Volunteer on DC Emancipation Day

Join the Black Georgetown Foundation on Saturday, April 12 at 10am to observe DC’s Emancipation Day. Meet at the Mount Zion and Female Union Band Society cemeteries (2501 Mill Rd NW) – home to the earliest Black burials in DC – for a libation ceremony and reading of names that will honor the 3,100+ enslaved individuals who were emancipated in 1862. The Mount Zion Church Chamber Orchestra will perform live throughout the reading. After the ceremony you’re encouraged to help clean up the cemeteries – from clearing debris and overgrowth, to cleaning the Underground Railroad Vault entrance and headstones. Those who are unfamiliar with the cemeteries can join a guided tour with Lisa Fager. Event updates – including any weather notices – will be shared via email and posted on their social media channels @blackgeorgetown.