Holiday Special: On Saturday, December 28 and Tuesday, December 31, we will be offering a holiday performance for WATCH NIGHT, also known as Freedom’s Eve.

The Heritage Society for a first-time will present a holiday version of their “From Plantation to Emancipation” tour. This 90-minute experience, led by a re-enactor, takes place at Sam Houston Park. Special Watch Night tours, also known as “Freedom’s Eve” tours, will be offered on Saturday, December 28, and Tuesday, December 31, at 10 a.m. at 1100 Bagby Street.

The tour allows guests to experience a significant moment in history dating back to December 31, 1862, when enslaved African Americans gathered in anticipation of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, effective January 1, 1863. This event, known as Freedom’s Eve, marked a moment of jubilation and relief as freedom was declared.

Alison Bell, The Heritage Society’s executive director, explains, “Watch Night services continue today, with churches in Houston and across the United States opening their doors on December 31 for reflection, renewal, and communal prayer as the New Year approaches.”

“Our Black History Tours are special because they were created by our board member Martha Whiting-Goddard, the great-granddaughter of Reverend Jack Yates, who was responsible for moving the house to Sam Houston Park,” says Bell. “Three of the houses on our tour are designated as UNESCO ‘Slave Route’ Project structures, telling the stories from enslavement to a life of Freedom after Juneteenth occurred in Texas.”

The tour will feature performances by professional actress and singer Kijana Wiseman and orator Dr. Don Williams, bringing life to the historical events of Freedom’s Eve.

FROM PLANTATION TO EMANCIPATION TOUR

During your tour of three historic houses that tell Houston’s stories from plantation to emancipation, the talented actor brings the hardships of slavery and the victory of freedom to life in dramatic reenactments. The historical script was written by Martha Whiting-Goddard, Reverend Jack Yates’ great granddaughter, who lived in the Yates House that was relocated to Sam Houston Park.

Explore the following three houses that are designated by UNESCO as Sites of Memory for their “Routes of Enslaved Peoples’ Project” - 1847 Kellum-Noble House; 1866 Fourth Ward Cottage; and 1870 Yates House. “Sites of Memory,” or “Sites of Conscience” are historic places that activate the power of memory to engage the public in a deeper understanding of the past, inspiring action to shape a more just future. These sites break the silence surrounding slavery, and place the tragedy into our universal memory. It is only through dialogue that we can have peace and reconciliation. We have a duty to remember the crimes committed against humanity by our ancestors, especially as we see the return of prejudice and discrimination today.

Starring Kijana Wiseman, M.Ed.! You will be enchanted by Kijana’s dynamic and versatile performances in the realms of theatrical and communicative arts. An award-winning lyric coloratura soprano with an impressive 3.5-octave range, she has garnered accolades such as the City of Houston Talent Competition and the national APCA Best College Performing Artist of the Year. Her interactive one-woman show, The Griot, was honored as the Best College Diversity Program. Kijana’s theatrical journey began in her childhood at Houston’s Theatre Inc. and Alley Theatre, where she played numerous lead roles in both musicals and plays. She holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Houston and a Master’s degree specializing in African Theatre, achieved through joint studies at Texas Southern University and the University of Liberia, West Africa.

The talented reenactor, Khi Stephens, brings the hardships of slavery and the victory of freedom to life through song, a Library of Congress slave narrative, and a portrayal written by a descendant of the Reverend Jack Yates. Stephens studied theater in Los Angeles and was coached by Martha Whiting-Goddard on her roles.

From Plantation to Emancipation – The Freedom Experience begins on Saturday, February 10 in celebration of Black History Month. These 90-minute tours are offered on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month; from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Groups of 10 or more are encouraged to make a reservation at least two (2) weeks in advance. To make a reservation or to request more information, call 713-655-1912 or email tours@heritagesociety.org.

Please arrive 10-15 minutes prior to your tour time for parking and walking through our campus to the museum gallery for check-in. Free parking is available at 212 Dallas Street.

A Collaboration with VisitHouston

VisitHouston, Houston First’s Tourism department, selected us and other non-profit organizations and Black-owned businesses to create elevated tour experiences in and around Downtown Houston. They worked with local organizations and attractions to design and develop experiences and itineraries tied to Houston’s African American history and heritage for leisure travelers, locals and group visitors.  To successfully develop multicultural experiences, they connected with the sites and/or community organizations that are keepers of the stories.  Their idea is to bring the attractions/venues to life and make them more immersive.

See other Black history and cultural tour experiences HERE on VisitHouston. Houston's rich tapestry of history, culture and stories are vividly brought to life in a collection of immersive experiences designed to honor and showcase the city's black-owned businesses and its pivotal role in black history. This collection, curated in collaboration with local partners, offers a unique blend of narrative, flavor, and memory across five distinctive experiences. Each experience, rooted in authenticity and passion, is a tribute to the stories, flavors, and people that define Houston's black community. Together, they form a compelling invitation to explore, taste, and learn in a city that continues to shape its history with pride and resilience.

Consultation by Joe Veneto, Chief Experience Officer of Veneto Collaboratory

Visit Houston provided us with professional consultation by Joe Veneto, a multicultural product development expert whose sole profession is to cultivate multicultural experiences across the US. The planning and dedication to this year-long project was enlightening, and we know you will enjoy the experience.

PRESS RELEASE

The Heritage Society Brings Back Historic Tours with Re-Enactments

The Heritage Society and VisitHouston Express Freedom Through Elevated Tours 

Over the years, The Heritage Society has offered specialty historical heritage tours with craftsmen, pioneers, housewives from the 1800s, and yuletide strollers. In February, Houston’s history museum will offer elevated tours with a re-enactor who will portray life from plantation to emancipation in a 90-minute experience at Sam Houston Park.

“Our tours inspire tourists and locals to walk into a time machine and see Houston in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, before and after the Civil War,” The Heritage Society’s board president, Minnette Boesel said. “Guests will walk through a time machine of life in Houston during the era of slavery and when emancipation and reconstruction occurred circa 1865.”

“Our docent will take tour guests to the Kellum-Noble House, the Yates House, and the Fourth Ward Cottage where a re-enactor will express what life was like as Black woman during those periods,” The Heritage Society’s executive director, Alison Bell said.

“Our three houses are designated as UNESCO Sites of Memory ‘Slave Route Project’ structures because they tell the stories of enslavement on a plantation to life after Juneteenth in Texas,” Bell said. “A history of the Kellum-Noble house discusses urban slavery in Houston, whereas the Yates House and the Fourth Ward Cottage tell about life in the community known as Freedmen's Town established by Black Americans.”

“What makes our Black History Tour special is that this experience was written by our board member Martha Whiting-Goddard, the great granddaughter of Reverend Jack Yates, who was responsible for moving the house to Sam Houston Park,” Bell said.

The re-enactor from Los Angeles, Khi Stephens, has drama experience and tours experience. Her passion for Black History and being involved with the humanitarian message of remembering the past so we continue equality for everyone inspired her to work with The Heritage Society on this elevated tour.

“We worked with a professional tours consultant, Joe Veneto, and his team thanks to VisitHouston, who all wanted to ensure that this elevated tour was memorable, educational, and compelling,” Bell said.