One-hundred fifty-seven years ago, a speech in Tallahassee delivered freedom to Florida’s enslaved people. That scene was reenacted on Friday, May 20 as part of Florida’s Emancipation Day festivities.
Greater St. Marks Primitive Baptist Church Elder Chris Burney led the hundreds of attendees in song.
The event was the first public appearance for Florida’s new Secretary of State Cord Byrd. Governor Ron DeSantis named him to the job last Tuesday, after Laurel Lee resigned to run for congress.
“I want to welcome everyone and thank you for joining us for this 20th of May celebration, Emancipation in Florida,” he said by way of greeting the crowd.
There were many more speeches, all leading up to the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation from the steps of Tallahassee’s Knott House. The very location the document was read in Florida for the first time in 1865.
