Media Advisory - Celebrate Emancipation Day at Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic
Site on July 31

DRESDEN, ON, July 21 /CNW/ - Join us at Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 31, for Emancipation Day - an annual celebration of hope and freedom commemorating the end of slavery in the British Empire.

Everyone is welcome for this fun and educational day featuring traditional African music, story-telling, reenactments, lectures and African-Canadian cuisine. Admission is free - thanks to the support of the RBC Foundation.

    
    Schedule of activities:
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Provincial plaque unveiling - 10:30 a.m.

The Ontario Heritage Trust unveils a plaque to Hugh Burnett and the National Unity Association commemorating their work to advance human rights in Ontario.

Dance to the beat of the drum! - 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Nigerian-born Babarinde Williams reveals the mysteries of traditional African drumming and rhythms in an interactive performance.

Stretching the boundaries of music - 12:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Singing in six different languages, Valu David's joyous message is anchored by solid swaying rhythms and his energetic delivery, inspired by the sounds of his homeland, Africa.

Tell it, sing it, shout it - 1 p.m.

Canadian-born singer-pianist, storyteller, lyricist, composer and cultural historian, Tiki Mercury-Clarke, captivates her audience with songs and stories from her CD set Lift Every Voice & Sing: The Roots of Gospel Music.

Songs of the Underground Railroad - 2 p.m.

Michael Toby of The International Tenors captivates with his operatic musical journey along the Underground Railroad.

Happy birthday Reverend Davis - 2:15 p.m.

William J. Richardson celebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth of his great-great-grandfather, abolitionist Reverend Samuel H. Davis, who was principal of the British American Institute.

Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site commemorates the life of Josiah Henson, a former slave, who escaped to Canada via the Underground Railroad. Henson rose to international fame after Harriet Beecher Stowe acknowledged his memoirs as a source for her novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin. Settling in southwestern Ontario, Henson worked to improve life for the Black community and helped to establish the Dawn Settlement. He would go on to become an internationally recognized abolitionist, preacher and conductor on the Underground Railroad.

Located in Dresden, approximately three hours west of Toronto, the site has parking and is fully accessible.

Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site is owned and operated by the Ontario Heritage Trust, an agency of the Government of Ontario dedicated to identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting Ontario's heritage.

    
                         Aussi disponible en français
    

For further information: Steven Cook, Site Manager, Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site, Telephone: [phone], E-mail: [email protected], www.uncletomscabin.org and www.heritagetrust.on.ca