Historic Stagville Juneteenth tours stir deep reflection
1986. PITS AEROBATICS AIRCRAFT,
WHICH IS A STUNT PLANE.
WEEK-LONG CELEBRATIONS
COMMEMORATING JUNETEENTH,
CONTINUE IN OUR AREA HOLIDAYS
KNOWN TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER
THROUGH MUSIC, FOOD AND EVENTS.
IT'S ALSO A TIME TO REFLECT
ON WHY WE CELEBRATE WRAL'S.
LAURA LEVINE TAKES US TO
HISTORIC STAG BILL IN DURHAM,
WHICH IS SHARING THE HARD
TRUTHS OF THE PAST
>> HERE ARE THE STATS. HILL
PLANTATION. YOU CAN FEEL THE
EMOTIONS, THE PAIN, THE TRAUMA
AND THE STORIES BEHIND THESE
DWELLINGS. THE EMANCIPATION
PROCLAMATION WAS SIGNED IN 18.
63 AND IT WASN'T UNTIL 2 YEARS
LATER WHERE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
HERE GAINED THEIR FREEDOM.
BUT YOU KIND OF LOOK AT LIKE
THE SUFFERING THAT PEOPLE WANT
THROUGH PEOPLE FROM NEAR AND
FAR WALKING THROUGH HISTORIC
STAG BILL CONNECTING TO A DARK
PAST OF THE ONCE. CAMERON
FAMILY-OWNED PLANTATION.
AND I JUST LIKE MAKES YOU JUST
REALLY GOING TO LIKE THE
DEFENSE OF THE MOTIONS. THIS
WAS HOME TO ABOUT 1000 ENSLAVED
PEOPLE AT ITS PEAK.
>> THE NAO HISTORICAL SITE
COMMEMORATING THE MOMENT THEY
WERE SET FREE. SO WE WANT TO
REMEMBER THE STORIES OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE SEEKING FREEDOM LONG
BEFORE 18. 65. THERE'S THE CELL
SKI IS THE SITE MANAGER LEADING
TOURS THIS JUNETEENTH WEEKEND.
>> THROUGH A ROW OF 2 STORY,
WOODEN HOUSES THAT HELD 20 TO
30 ENSLAVED PEOPLE. EACH
PAINTING THE PICTURE OF PAIN
AND PERSEVERANCE. PEOPLE
CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE FOR
CITIZENSHIP FOR VOTING RIGHTS,
ACCESS TO LAND OWNERSHIP,
SAFETY FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR
FAMILIES.
>> AFTER THE END OF
ENSLAVEMENT, SHE SAYS DURING
EMANCIPATION ONE IN 3 PEOPLE
IN THE STATE WERE STILL
ENSLAVED, BUT THEY ALSO HAD
HOPES AND DREAMS OF NEW SAFETY.
NEW OPPORTUNITY. NEW
POSSIBILITIES. THOSE NEW
POSSIBILITIES ARE REPRESENTED.
AND DURHAM TODAY FROM THE
AFRICAN AMERICAN BUSINESSES
TO NEIGHBORHOODS, DESCENDANTS
NOW LIVE IN. SO WHEN FOLKS COME
HERE TO STOCK, WELL, THEY'RE
GOING TO HEAR THE NARRATIVES OF
MARY WALKER OF SIGHT. HEART OF
DEMPSEY, HENDERSON UP IN THE
TURNER OF REAL PEOPLE WHO LIVED
THROUGH EMANCIPATION HERE AND
THROUGH THOSE STORIES WE CAN
EMPATHIZE WITH AND HAVE A
DEEPER UNDERSTANDING, THE
STRUGGLE AND RESILIENCE ON
DISPLAY WITH CELEBRATIONS
AROUND THE GLOBE. JUNETEENTH
HAS BECOME AN OPPORTUNITY OF
REFLECTION AND GROWTH.
>> HIGHLIGHTING WHY THIS PART
OF HISTORY STILL MATTERS TODAY.