President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass will speak at 5:30 p.m. Friday in a Juneteenth National Independence Day program at Marietta College.

Living Historian Michael Crutcher will bring Douglass to life at the event and share the stage with Lincoln portrayed by Lew Welge.

Crutcher is a former professor and retired from the U.S. Army. He has re-enacted Douglass around the world for more than a decade.

Welge has been appearing as Lincoln since 2003.

The free event is open to the public at the Hermann Fine Arts Center on Butler Street.

The federal holiday is June 19. Juneteenth recognizes the day in 1865 when the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were informed of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

In addition to the speakers, Lawrence Greene will present a live demonstration of traditional West African rhythms using djembes and djun drums.

Attendees will receive free educational materials and literature exploring the historical context of the Emancipation Proclamation, its local relevance and the broader impact of Juneteenth on American society.

The celebration is sponsored by the Mid-Ohio Valley Civil War Round Table, the Noto Family Fund for Diversity and Inclusion, Noto Family Fund for Diversity in the Arts and the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges.