CNY’s Peterboro Has a Rich Abolitionist History for Juneteenth Holiday

The hamlet of Petersboro in Madison County, located between Morrisville and Oneida, is a small town with a lot of history when it comes to the upcoming Juneteenth celebration, which is now a Federal Holiday.

Petersboro is the home of the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum, as well as the Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark, and this year the community is the centerpiece of a four festival commemorating Juneteenth, as well as showcasing its profound legacy of the Freedom Trail.

This week's Juneteenth celebration includes their inaugural Freedom Folk Festival, which honors the legacy of freedom in the small town almost in the exact center of New York State, with music and history. The four day event will run this week, June 19 through the 22nd, with tours, lectures, history presentations, and of course, music.

“We are deeply dedicated to commemorating Juneteenth and illuminating the profound legacy of the Freedom Trail,” states Nell Ziegler-Glass, Board President of the Smithfield Community Association (SCA) that owns the Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark. “With the addition of the music festival, we’re creating even more ways for people to engage with these vital stories and celebrate Peterboro’s unique place in the ongoing pursuit of freedom.”

According to Ziegler-Glass, the "diverse offerings, the Peterboro Freedom Folk Festival and the entire Juneteenth celebration aim to educate, inspire, and unite the community in a shared appreciation for the struggles and triumphs on the path to freedom."

Peterboro Juneteenth 2025 is a collaborative community effort by the Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark, National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum, Peterboro Table Restaurant, and the Peterboro United Methodist Church.

Here's a schedule of events:

· The Cadleys: This popular Syracuse-based acoustic band, featuring Syracuse Area Music Hall of Fame inductee John Cadley, will deliver their signature blend of traditional bluegrass, "new acoustic" music, and original songs, known for hair-raising harmonies and virtuoso instrumentation.

· Rod MacDonald: A celebrated singer-songwriter, novelist, and educator, MacDonald was a significant figure in the 1980s Greenwich Village folk revival. He's recorded 21 songs for the Smithsonian collection, and his 2023 album "Rants And Romance" hit the top ten on national folk charts.

· Sean Ceilly: A dynamic musician and singer-songwriter from the Cleveland, NY area, Ceilly blends blues, jazz standards, folk, and folk rock covers, showcasing his versatility on guitar, banjo, and harmonica with influences ranging from Robert Johnson to The Beatles.

Four Days of Freedom: Peterboro's Juneteenth 2025 Schedule

The full four-day event from June 19-22, 2025, promises a poignant and engaging experience for all ages, blending educational programs, reflective ceremonies, and vibrant cultural celebrations.

· Thursday, June 19 (Juneteenth) | 6:19 PM: The festival officially commences with a symbolic Bell Ringing 19 times at the Peterboro United Methodist Church, honoring the spirit of freedom and remembrance.

· Friday, June 20 | 7 PM: A free screening of the powerful film "Slavery by Another Name"will be presented at the Smithfield Community Center, followed by a discussion focusing on the Thirteenth Amendment (The Abolition of Enslavement) to the U.S. Constitution.

· Saturday, June 21 | Beginning 9 AM: The day is packed with insightful lectures and presentations at the Smithfield Community Center.

· 9:00 AM: Matthew Urtz, Madison County Historian, introduces Judith Wellman, PhD (author of the Wellman Underground Railroad Scale) and members of the Madison County Freedom Trail Commission to present "Researching Underground Railroad Sites."

· 11:30 AM: Kate Clifford Larson, PhD, acclaimed biographer of Fannie Lou Hamer and Harriet Tubman, and consultant to NPS Tubman parks, will present on "Hamer, Tubman, and the Underground Railroad Byway."

· 12:30 PM: Donald Yacavone, from the Hutchins Center at Harvard, presents "Teaching White Supremacy."

· 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM: The day culminates with the Peterboro Freedom Folk Festival of music and food at the Gerrit Smith Estate.

· Sunday, June 22 | 10:45 AM: The festival concludes at the Peterboro United Methodist Church with Donna Dorrance, Burdick Town of Smithfield Historian, examining the role of churches in enslavement during the early 19th Century.