Amna Nawaz
@PBSNewsHour·5.3M subscribers·62.2K videos
What Is Liberation and Freedom Day? How Charlottesville’s annual race honors Black history
Posted
February 27, 2026
Views
1,788
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86
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February 27, 2026
1,788
86
4.81%
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4:09Now PlayingCharlottesville is about 10 square miles, and the history of Black people exists in every inch of the city, says Andrea Douglas of the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center.
Her organization is one of the partners behind the Liberation & Freedom Day Run/Walk, a tribute to an important day in history.
On March 3, 1865, nearly 14,000 African Americans were freed when Union soldiers marched into the city. Today, that legacy lives on through the walk.
Douglas' organization teamed up with local Black-led running club Prolyfyck Run Creww to host the event.
The goal is simple, move the community forward, one foot at a time. Co-founder of Prolyfyck, James “Littlez” Dowell Jr., helped create the official course, which runs past Black-owned businesses and historic landmarks that illuminate stories once hidden from view.
Proceeds from the event support Black-led organizations that directly serve the local community. Addy Briley takes a closer look.
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