Welcome To The African American Museum At The England Manor
African-American history was created with the arrival Africans to North America in the 16th and 17th centuries. Former Spanish slaves who had been freed by Francis Drake arrived aboard the Golden Hind at New Albion in California in 1579.
African American Union Troops under Colonel James Montgomery's command attacked plantations along the Combahee River in South Carolina on June 2, 1863. After learning where the Confederate mines were located along the river, Harriet Tubman led three Union ships around them as they navigated the waterway, liberating slaves as they went. Steamboat whistles alerted local slaves to the approaching freedom as an armed assault on the plantations got under way. From the plantations to the steamboats, the slaves fled. Because of Tubman's bravery and leadership, more than 750 slaves were set free. It is acknowledged that Tubman was the only woman to command a military operation during the Civil War.
Juneteenth marks our country’s second Independence Day and has been long celebrated in the African American community. This monumental event was finally made a federal holiday on June 17th, 2021. The African American Museum at England Manor has convened the Juneteenth Lake County Illinois Committee to celebrate “Freedom Day” with three events for the entire family.