The Laurel Historical Society’s new annual exhibit explores how Laurel’s diverse communities understand and celebrate freedom.
“Beyond the 4th: Stories of Laurel’s Freedom Celebrations” examines how residents marked major American anniversaries, including the 1876 centennial, the 1926 sesquicentennial and Laurel’s multiday 1976 bicentennial celebration. Through video footage, photographs and memorabilia, visitors can also learn about the history of Laurel’s Emancipation Day and more recent observances such as Juneteenth, Hispanic Heritage Month and Laurel Pride.
“[The exhibit] is a living document of where we are now,” said Kristen Norton, executive director of the Laurel Historical Society. Norton said she hopes attendees learn something new and leave with “a broader understanding of what liberty means to them and to their community.”
Community members can view the exhibit through late December at the Laurel Museum, home of the Laurel Historical Society and its archives.
Since 2023, the historical society has worked to increase diversity at all levels, including staff, leadership and exhibits, according to its three-year strategic plan.
It is “critical as an organization in Laurel, that represents an increasingly diverse community, that we are reflective of that,” Norton said.
Laurel has been diversifying for decades. The city’s population is more than 85% people of color — including nearly 50% African American, 21% Hispanic and 8.2% Asian — according to U.S. Census data.
While part of the exhibit explores traditional patriotic holidays, other panels highlight the experiences of African Americans, women and Indigenous people during these celebrations.
One panel, dating to the mid-20th century, focuses on the experiences of Black residents living in the Grove, a segregated community where only Black residents could live, during Fourth of July celebrations.
While fireworks at the former Alice B. McCullough Field lit the sky, African American residents of the Grove held their own neighborhood cookouts and watched the display from their streets, according to exhibit materials.
The exhibit also explores Laurel’s Emancipation Day celebration, the city’s oldest community festival, which originated in the Grove.
“The Emancipation Proclamation celebration, [is one of] … Laurel’s longest community traditions,” said Norton. “But the fact that this celebration has evolved into what it is now and Laurel’s population is over 50% African American, it holds even more meaning now.”
Emancipation Day in Laurel continues to evolve and remains a central community tradition. Thirteen years ago, festivities began including a 5K run for diabetes awareness, according to Jacqueline “Jackie” Jones, the run’s coordinator and a member of the Laurel Historical Society’s board of directors.
“The exhibits cover every aspect from past to present,” Jones, who contributed memorabilia to this year’s exhibit, said. “You see the past, and then you see how far we have come and moving on to the future.”
Laurel is growing and so is its diversity, according to Jeffery Engrum, a 15-year Laurel resident who visited the museum for the first time during the exhibit.
“People from all walks of life find homes here. They find community. They find everything,” Engrum said, reflecting on Laurel’s past compared with today.
Community members can visit the museum for free Friday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.