FAM and City announce Wayside Panel Trolley Tour

The Fredericksburg Area Museum (FAM) is proud to be celebrating Black History Month with the community by hosting Wayside Panel Trolley Tours in partnership with the City of Fredericksburg.

Beginning Feb. 3, Dr. Gaila Sims, FAM’s Curator of African American History and Special Projects, will be hosting a Black History Month program in collaboration with the City of Fredericksburg to honor distinguished African Americans from the Fredericksburg area.

As part of ongoing efforts to tell a more complete history of our community, the City of Fredericksburg will be installing five new wayside panels in February 2024. Created in collaboration with FAM, community members and local scholars, panels will honor Mr. Johnny P. Johnson, Dr. W.L. Harris, the Mannahoac Indigenous Tribe, Decoration Day and the Walker-Grant School.

In celebration of the five new city panels, along with four new panels at the University of Mary Washington, FAM will be hosting an opening reception on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 1:30 p.m. Light food and drink will be provided. Following the reception, Dr. Sims will lead a trolley tour at 2:30 p.m. to view the new panels. Community members will introduce participants to each new panel: Ms. Gaye Adegbalola on Mr. Johnny P. Johnson and the Walker-Grant School, Dr. Brad Hatch on the Mannahoac Indigenous Tribe, the Rev. Hashmel Turner on Decoration Day, and Ms. Alexa McNeil on Dr. W.L. Harris. While the opening reception at the FAM is free and open to the public, participants on the trolley tour will need to reserve seats at  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/775836506877?aff=oddtdtcreator . Tickets are free but there is limited availability.

Additional trolley tours are scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 17 at 1:30 p.m. To reserve a seat, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/775836506877?aff=oddtdtcreator.

In the event of inclement weather, the tour will be rescheduled to Saturday, March 16. For more information, please email [email protected].