Talbot County joins with destinations across Maryland to celebrate the inspiring efforts of people who fought for freedom during International Underground Railroad Month. Please stay tuned, as additional events and information will be added throughout the month.
International Underground Railroad Month Events
The celebration kicks-off in late August with the Souls at Sea Ceremony at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum on Saturday, August 24 from 1 – 2 p.m. Drawing on African traditions, this is an on-water remembrance and libation ceremony honoring ancestors lost during the Middle Passage. The public is invited to join the land-based portion of the ceremony, which will be held on the Fogg’s Landing side of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s campus next to the Welcome Center.
The Mid-Shore Constitution Alliance will host “Our Journey to Liberty and Freedom,” their annual celebration of Constitution Day and Citizenship Week on Tuesday, September 17 from Noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Academy Art Museum. Renowned actors Darius Wallace as Frederick Douglas and Kurt Smith as Thomas Jefferson will be featured, performing a conversation between the two. There will be educational exhibits, constitution giveaways and red, white & blue Rita’s Ice. The event “Proclamation” will include a “Welcome” to new U.S. Citizens in Talbot County who have achieved citizenship credentials.
A full-day celebration for Frederick Douglass Day is scheduled for September 28, 2024 in downtown Easton. A parade, welcome ceremony, children’s village, marketplace, exhibits, and book signings will be held in honor of Douglass, who was born into slavery in Talbot County and escaped during the month of September.
