Bennett Place State Historic Site to Host ‘The Promise of Peace: Slavery’s End in North Carolina,’ A Luminary Program Dedicated to the Pathways to Freedom During the Civil War

Bennett Place State Historic Site will host a luminary program dedicated to telling the stories of enslaved people's avenues to freedom during the Civil War era. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20 from 7-9:30 p.m. The event was originally scheduled for April but was postponed because of inclement weather. Bennett Place is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

This program commemorates the 331,059 men, women, and children enslaved in North Carolina who experienced freedom with the close of the Civil War. The historic site will be decorated with 1,324 luminaries, each representing 250 enslaved people in the state. Historians from across State Historic Sites will give voice to the stories of enslaved people's pathways to freedom during the Civil War era. Musician Shana Tucker will perform instrumental music as visitors reflect on the end of slavery in our state and nation.

The event is free to the public. Donations are appreciated but not required. The event is weather permitting. Please check the Bennett Place or North Carolina State Historic Sites social media or events website for weather updates.

For enslaved African Americans, the Civil War provided opportunities for freedom. From the first months of the conflict, enslaved people flocked to U.S. forces to escape slavery. Others leveraged the hardships of war and threats of advancing forces to convince their enslavers to keep their families united or even to resist some forced labor. These decisions by enslaved individuals impacted both military and civilian policy during the war. On Sept. 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, stating that if rebelling states did not rejoin the Union by Jan. 1, 1863, he would declare all enslaved people in Confederate states "forever free."

Despite the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery remained enforced within the Confederacy. In April 1865, the Confederate surrenders at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia and Bennett Place in North Carolina sealed the fate of the rebellion. Peace returned to North Carolina. With it, the U.S. government enforced the end of chattel slavery with military presence and eventual Constitutional amendments.

About Bennett Place State Historic Site
Once the home of James and Nancy Bennett, this 189-acre farm in the North Carolina Piedmont became the location of the largest surrender of Confederate soldiers in the American Civil War. Over the course of three days in April 1865, General William T. Sherman and General Joseph E. Johnston deliberated the terms of surrender and peace, which helped reunite this country. Today, the Bennetts' reconstructed farmhouse, kitchen, and smokehouse recall the lifestyle of an ordinary Southern farmer during the Civil War. Bennett Place State Historic Site is located at 4409 Bennett Memorial Rd., Durham, NC 27705.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina - its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit https://www.dncr.nc.gov.

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