Maryland Gov. Wes Moore spoke about the difference between liberation and freedom, in the opening ceremony of the 2026 Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival, in one of Montgomery County’s oldest historic Black communities.

In Cabin John Regional Park, Moore was joined by local dignitaries, including descendants of William Dove, the first formerly enslaved man who purchased 36 acres of farmland in 1880 for $210, located in what is now Potomac.

Moore said that ending slavery was an important moment of liberation, celebrated by Juneteenth, “but liberation is not freedom.”

Even after liberation, Moore said that “the idea of freedom became something that still remained elusive.”

When Dove purchased property in the Scotland community, Moore said that economic empowerment was a step toward freedom.

“The freedom to be able to own more than you owe. A freedom to be able to pass something along to your children besides debt. A freedom to be able to walk freely, knowing that you should be able to feel safe in your own community, in your own neighborhood, and in your own skin,” said Moore.