Manassas Museum to host four events in November

City of Manassas, VA . . . During the month of November, the Manassas Museum will host four free programs for visitors. There will be living history with Marion Dobbins portraying Jennie Dean.Past and present vehicles and Civil War reenactors will be on site with military historians answering questions about military weapons. Descendants of the Lakota tribe will portray tribe history in stories and dance, and author Robert Brookover will give a free book talk.

On Saturday, Nov. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Museum Lawn, historic interpreter Marion Dobbins will portray Jennie Dean, the founder of the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth.

Dean was born into slavery.  While working as a domestic in Washington, D.C., she dreamed of creating educational opportunities that were lacking for African-Americans after the Civil War. She saved her money and persuaded influential benefactors like Andrew Carnegie and Fredrick Douglass to help her build the Manassas school which educated more than 6,500 students before the doors closed in 1937.

On Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in conjunction with the Greater Manassas Veterans Day Parade which begins at 11 a.m., representatives from the National Museum of the Marine Corps will have military vehicles, both past and present, on the Museum Lawn.

Civil War reenactors will be available to discuss the service of soldiers of that era and military historians will display weapons of the past in the Museum gallery.  The Manassas Museum will be open free for Veterans Nov. 9-11.

On Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Museum Lawn, descendants of the Lakota tribe will tell the story of their tribe and its history using storytelling and dance.

On Nov. 24, at 2 p.m. at the Manassas Museum, author Robert Brookover will deliver a free book talk about his four-part Civil War series, Wish is My Master.  This book tells the story of young Confederate and Union soldiers through their letters, journals, and family lore handed downthrough generations.

For more information on any of these programs, visit http://www.manassasmuseum.org The m.useum is located at 9100 Prince William Street in Old Town Manassas.