MARIETTA, GA — Cobb County is getting a head start on Juneteenth celebrations with a special event at the historic William Root House, located just off Marietta Square.

Hosted by Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society, the celebration centers on helping residents trace their ancestry, particularly those with ties to the region’s history of enslavement and emancipation. Christopher Smothers, founder of “Finding Your Roots,” will lead the workshop.

“He has gone through all of the records,” said Liz Malone with Cobb Landmarks. “He’s spent a lot of time looking through all the records, particularly in Georgia and Cobb County in particular.”

The event, which begins Friday, June 13, is designed to not only provide practical genealogy tools such as how to navigate Freedmen’s Bureau records, but also to honor the significance of Juneteenth, the day that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the U.S.

“We want to recognize our freedom day,” Malone said. “Whether that’s something on a federal level or just on a local level, we still feel very passionate about telling the stories of the enslaved people and of the joy of emancipation.”

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is celebrated each year on June 19.

WSB’s Lisa Nicholas contributed to this story