Brooklyn’s Black Trailblazers Trolley Tour: Juneteenth Edition
June 19th , 11:00am – 1:00pm
On June 19, 1865, a Union general informed enslaved people in Texas that they were free—more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Communities across the United States have marked the date ever since. Declared a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth is both a celebration of progress in the fight for freedom and a reminder of how far we still have to go.
Price: Free
(see details below)
Join tour guide David Glover and Talisha Ward, Green-Wood’s 2025–2026 history fellow, for a free trolley tour honoring the Black pioneers of Brooklyn buried at Green-Wood—abolitionists, artists, activists, and visionaries who shaped art, music, medicine, and civil rights. Visit the memorials of revolutionary artist Jean-Michel Basquiat; civil rights leaders Grace Nail Johnson and James Weldon Johnson; Charles L. Reason, the first Black college professor in the United States; and others whose legacies endure in the ongoing struggle for equality.
Offered as part of Green-Wood’s America250 celebration, this tour explores themes that reach beyond the Revolutionary War to examine the broader American experience. Through these stories, we reflect on how the struggle for liberty has shaped generations throughout American history and continues to influence our future.
This trolley tour is offered for free to make Green-Wood’s rich history more accessible to the public.
Please note that if only 1 ticket shows as available during the registration process, that is the last ticket available.
Before Purchasing A Ticket, Please Note:
- Tickets: There is no need to print tickets! Attendees will be checked in by name.
- Where To Go: Check-in takes place at the trolley by the Gothic Arch near the Main Entrance at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street (500 25th Street).
- Accessibility & Safety: The Green-Wood trolley can accommodate up to two wheelchairs. However, the trolley may make stops where passengers are encouraged to disembark in areas that are not wheelchair accessible. If you need accommodations for any reason, please contact our staff before reserving tickets at (718) 768-7300 or events@green-wood.com. To accommodate a wheelchair or other mobility aid on the trolley, please contact us at least one week in advance.
- A Little More About Safety: Unless there is a medical emergency, it may be difficult to exit quickly during the tour. Please consider these limitations before purchasing tickets.
- Inclement Weather Policy: We monitor weather conditions throughout the day for the best chance of proceeding with the tour, and will not make a final decision until approximately 3 hours before the start of the tour. Cancellations will be announced via Eventbrite email blasts, so check your email and spam folders.
Green-Wood’s public programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, as well as the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.