Community honors 161st Florida Emancipation Day

Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. Old Howard Academy filled with activity on the afternoon of May 20, as visitors bustled about the lawn for a lively Emancipation Day event. Since 2025, the historic landmark has been the location of this annual celebration, which is hosted by the Community Friends of Jefferson County, Inc. This year, the 161st anniversary of the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in Florida, followed the theme “Keep Hope Alive.” Many states have their own unique