Today in Wheeling History: June 19--Wheeling held a virtual Juneteenth celebration due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included a video presentation created by YWCA Wheeling and Wheeling Heritage featuring speeches, musical performances, and discussions about the historical significance of the holiday and the ongoing fight against racism (2020).
Wheeling, West Virginia has a rich history of celebrating the emancipation of slaves, with the first recorded "Emancipation Day" celebration taking place in nearby Moundsville in 1867. These celebrations were typically held on September 22nd to commemorate the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation announced by President Abraham Lincoln on that date in 1862.
The 1867 celebration, reported in the Wheeling Intelligencer, featured a procession of celebrants who arrived from Wheeling by train, led by Alexander Turner, father of Wheeling's first Black police officer, William Alexander Turner. The day's festivities primarily consisted of speeches, prayers, and singing.
In 1884, the renowned abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass, himself a former slave, was the guest of honor at Wheeling's Emancipation Day celebration. Douglass, who had previously visited the city in 1867, spoke at the Opera House and was introduced by Dr. Boswell H. Stillyard, who later became the first African American elected to Wheeling's city council in 1914.
The 1891 Emancipation Day celebration was another notable event, featuring Senator Blanche K. Bruce, one of the first African American U.S. Senators, as the guest of honor. The day included a large parade, speeches, and various performances and festivities at the fairgrounds on Wheeling Island. Professor James McHenry Jones, principal of Lincoln School, played a key role in organizing and emceeing the event.
Subsequent Emancipation Day celebrations in Wheeling continued to grow in scale and prominence. The 1896 event was particularly elaborate, with Professor Jones again serving as master of ceremonies and U.S. Congressman and Senator John R. Lynch as the featured speaker. The parade that year, led by Alexander Turner as Chief Marshal, drew thousands of spectators despite inclement weather.
Local African American leaders and community members played vital roles in these celebrations over the years. William Alexander Turner, Wheeling's first Black police officer, wrote a poem for the 1912 celebration, vividly describing the typical events and atmosphere of the day. In 1921, Wheeling's second Black firefighter, John Doffmeyer, served as an aide to the parade marshal.
The last significant Emancipation Day events in Wheeling were reported in the 1930s and 1940s, with the final recorded celebration taking place in 1945, organized by the Black Pythian Lodge, Girl Scouts, Lincoln School students, and church groups.
In more recent years, Wheeling has transitioned to celebrating Juneteenth, marking the day (June 19, 1865) when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce and enforce the emancipation of slaves. The city's first modern Juneteenth celebration took place in 2020, amid nationwide protests against racism and police brutality following the death of George Floyd. These contemporary celebrations have included a range of community events, ceremonies, speakers, and performances aimed at acknowledging Wheeling's history with slavery and promoting racial justice.
Throughout its history, Wheeling's Emancipation Day and Juneteenth celebrations have served as important moments for the African American community to come together, commemorate the end of slavery, and advocate for greater equality and opportunity. The involvement of prominent national figures like Frederick Douglass and Blanche K. Bruce, as well as the leadership of local activists and community members, have helped to shape these events and their lasting impact on the city.
To learn more: (https://shorturl.at/5Mh2s) (https://shorturl.at/Ee173) (https://shorturl.at/VNzEw) (https://shorturl.at/5oMa8) (https://urlis.net/7ho84fe7) (https://tinyurl.com/4e7h68tw) (https://tinyurl.com/2sc4xbrj) (https://tinyurl.com/24hzurt6) (https://tinyurl.com/2fb6hkyh)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; National Archives
Wheeling, West Virginia has a rich history of celebrating the emancipation of slaves, with the first recorded "Emancipation Day" celebration taking place in nearby Moundsville in 1867. These celebrations were typically held on September 22nd to commemorate the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation announced by President Abraham Lincoln on that date in 1862.
The 1867 celebration, reported in the Wheeling Intelligencer, featured a procession of celebrants who arrived from Wheeling by train, led by Alexander Turner, father of Wheeling's first Black police officer, William Alexander Turner. The day's festivities primarily consisted of speeches, prayers, and singing.
In 1884, the renowned abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass, himself a former slave, was the guest of honor at Wheeling's Emancipation Day celebration. Douglass, who had previously visited the city in 1867, spoke at the Opera House and was introduced by Dr. Boswell H. Stillyard, who later became the first African American elected to Wheeling's city council in 1914.
The 1891 Emancipation Day celebration was another notable event, featuring Senator Blanche K. Bruce, one of the first African American U.S. Senators, as the guest of honor. The day included a large parade, speeches, and various performances and festivities at the fairgrounds on Wheeling Island. Professor James McHenry Jones, principal of Lincoln School, played a key role in organizing and emceeing the event.
Subsequent Emancipation Day celebrations in Wheeling continued to grow in scale and prominence. The 1896 event was particularly elaborate, with Professor Jones again serving as master of ceremonies and U.S. Congressman and Senator John R. Lynch as the featured speaker. The parade that year, led by Alexander Turner as Chief Marshal, drew thousands of spectators despite inclement weather.
Local African American leaders and community members played vital roles in these celebrations over the years. William Alexander Turner, Wheeling's first Black police officer, wrote a poem for the 1912 celebration, vividly describing the typical events and atmosphere of the day. In 1921, Wheeling's second Black firefighter, John Doffmeyer, served as an aide to the parade marshal.
The last significant Emancipation Day events in Wheeling were reported in the 1930s and 1940s, with the final recorded celebration taking place in 1945, organized by the Black Pythian Lodge, Girl Scouts, Lincoln School students, and church groups.
In more recent years, Wheeling has transitioned to celebrating Juneteenth, marking the day (June 19, 1865) when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce and enforce the emancipation of slaves. The city's first modern Juneteenth celebration took place in 2020, amid nationwide protests against racism and police brutality following the death of George Floyd. These contemporary celebrations have included a range of community events, ceremonies, speakers, and performances aimed at acknowledging Wheeling's history with slavery and promoting racial justice.
Throughout its history, Wheeling's Emancipation Day and Juneteenth celebrations have served as important moments for the African American community to come together, commemorate the end of slavery, and advocate for greater equality and opportunity. The involvement of prominent national figures like Frederick Douglass and Blanche K. Bruce, as well as the leadership of local activists and community members, have helped to shape these events and their lasting impact on the city.
To learn more: (https://shorturl.at/5Mh2s) (https://shorturl.at/Ee173) (https://shorturl.at/VNzEw) (https://shorturl.at/5oMa8) (https://urlis.net/7ho84fe7) (https://tinyurl.com/4e7h68tw) (https://tinyurl.com/2sc4xbrj) (https://tinyurl.com/24hzurt6) (https://tinyurl.com/2fb6hkyh)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; National Archives
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