Curators At Home: Virginia Stories from the Underground Railroad

Time Period
1623 to 1763
1764 to 1824
1825 to 1860
1861 to 1876
Media Type
Video
Topics
Black History
Civil Rights
Civil War
Politics & Government
Presenter
Dr. Karen A. Sherry

On June 5, 2020, VMHC Museum Collections Curator Dr. Karen A. Sherry presented this program as part of our Curators At Home Series presented by curatorial staff members from their own homes as they worked remotely in response to COVID-19. 

Mailing yourself in a crate, disguising yourself as the opposite gender, stowing away on a ship. These are some of the ingenious ploys enslaved Virginians used to escape a life of bondage. Running away was a very risky prospect and the chances of success were small. Learn how some black Virginians beat the odds through a combination of determination, luck, and assistance from the clandestine networks of the Underground Railroad. 
 
Presented by Dr. Karen A. Sherry, Museum Collections Curator