American Liberty Stories Sought For Vienna's Liberty Amendments Month

VIENNA, VA — As part of the next Liberty Amendments Month, the Town of Vienna will celebrate its cultural mixing pot by inviting people to share their family history.

Vienna began commemorating Liberty Amendments Month in 2021 to celebrate amendments extending rights to more people— the 13th, 14th, 15th and 19th Amendments. The idea came from Town Manager Mercury Payton as Juneteenth became a state holiday in 2021.

The 2024 observance will run from June 15 to July 15. Different parts of the month will focus on one of the four amendments. This year's schedule will be announced in the coming months.

Ahead of the celebration, the Town of Vienna is accepting residents' American Liberty Stories through May 15. Those stories describe their American journey and where their family originated from. Stories from American-born residents and immigrants are welcome. American Liberty Stories will be displayed during Liberty Amendments Month at the Vienna Community Center, Freeman Store and Museum and local businesses.

To help residents write their stories, the Town of Vienna and Historic Vienna will hold a storytelling workshop on Tuesday, April 30 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center. The workshop will be led by Hanan Daqqa, an independent multimedia journalist and adjunct faculty member at George Washington University who teaches the course "Not Another Home Movie." Attendees will leave with a drafted short story between 100 and 500 words and outline for a longer story. Snacks and drinks will be provided by the Vienna Business Association. Registration is required due to limited capacity.

Any American Liberty Stories submissions received after May 15 will be part of the 2025 Liberty Amendments Month.