Historic Stagville Emancipation Tour June 2023

This guided tour will highlight how enslaved people claimed their freedom at Stagville in 1865. Each June, Historic Stagville offers special tours focused on Emancipation as part of the site’s commemoration of Juneteenth. The tour explores the detailed history of Emancipation on one of North Carolina’s largest plantations. Hear stories of how formerly enslaved families celebrated, defended themselves, and organized, while the plantation owners strategized to hold on to their power and wealth.

Historic Stagville, a state historic site in northern Durham County, includes remnants of one of the largest plantations in North Carolina. The Bennehan-Cameron family owned approximately 30,000 acres of land and enslaved about 900 people on this property. Stagville protects a fraction of the land from that plantation, including original housing for enslaved people (1851), a massive barn (1860), and a Bennehan family house (1787–1799). Stagville is dedicated to teaching about the lives and work of enslaved people on the plantation.

Don’t miss this opportunity to join Stagville staff and other community members in learning more about Emancipation at Historic Stagville. The tour will begin at 10:00 AM. Wear comfortable shoes and bring sunscreen. The tour will be mostly outdoors, with two short stops at historic buildings. The route includes walking over grass, gravel, and uneven ground.