Daniel Carlton to portray Thomas Smallwood at 2025 Juneteenth celebration

Historical reenactor Daniel Carlton portrays a formerly enslaved person at the 2021 Juneteenth celebration at Durand-Hedden.Durand-Hedden House & Garden and the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race are pleased to welcome back historical reenactor Daniel Carlton for this year's Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 14, at Durand-Hedden House. This year, Daniel will portray Thomas Smallwood, a formerly enslaved shoemaker and arguably the originator of the term "The Underground Railroad."

Through dramatic storytelling under the trees of Durand-Hedden, Carlton will share Smallwood's life experiences from his shoemaker shop in Canada. These stories, brought to life by Carlton, are based on Smallwood's autobiography, A Narrative of Thomas Smallwood, Coloured Man.

Between 1842 and 1844, Smallwood organized hundreds of escapes for enslaved Black servants of government employees, helping them reach Canada. Operating near the U.S. Capitol building, he also detailed these efforts in a popular abolitionist newspaper column.

About Daniel Carlton

Daniel Carlton is a theater director, playwright, actor, poet, lyricist, and storyteller. His work often brings historical figures and events to life in ways that intersect modern challenges with stories of liberation from the past. Recent credits include: Director/Playwright of the national tours of "Freedom Riders, "Keep Marching," Freedom Flight," "Memories Of Self," and many more. He is the director of "Hero," "The Boy from Troy," and "Jabari Dreams of Freedom," by Nambi E Kelley. He was a performer in "Finding North."

Juneteenth at Durand-Hedden is an annual free community event, co-hosted by Durand-Hedden House & Garden and the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race. See our event page for complete details and for free pre-registration.

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