Josiah Henson Museum And Park Celebrating One Year Anniversary

NORTH BETHESDA, MD — The land where Reverend Josiah Henson — an abolitionist, author, Methodist minister and public speaker — was once enslaved was established and dedicated as the Josiah Henson Museum And Park one year ago this month.

To commemorate the one-year anniversary of the park, it will have $1 admission and some refreshments on Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"The Josiah Henson Museum & Park is the only site with a standing public structure remaining in the nation with a direct association to Reverend Josiah Henson’s remarkable life," the park's website says. "Montgomery Parks is fortunate to own the Riley/Bolton property, preserving part of the former plantation of Isaac Riley, where Reverend Henson was enslaved from 1795-1830. Montgomery Parks is the first public agency in the nation committed to recognizing Reverend Henson in his native land."

Henson's autobiography, "The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself," was the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel, "Uncle Tom’s Cabin."

The goal of the park, as stated on its website, is to honor Henson, educate visitors about slavery in Maryland and to "promote conversations around the ethical dilemmas of our time."

See the event information here.