In 2026 the United States of America will recognize the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence – a document written primarily by Virginian Thomas Jefferson that boldly states the self-evident fact of an individual’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These institutes will serve to celebrate, commemorate, and complicate this statement by examining Virginia’s role in the story of the founding of the United States of America – and how the state and country have been grappling with the legacy of founding ideals ever since.
Critical events took place in Virginia at both the start and end of the Revolutionary War. On April 21, 1775, only two days after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Virginia’s Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore, ordered the removal of gunpowder from the magazine in the colonial capital Williamsburg, increasing tensions in Virginia. By November 1775, Dunmore declared the colony in rebellion and, in an attempt to bolster his forces, offered freedom to people enslaved by rebellious colonists in exchange for service in the British army. Dunmore’s Proclamation radicalized many people throughout the colonies towards revolution and set the stage for future British policies that offered freedom to enslaved people, adding complexity to the proclaimed revolutionary ideals of ‘freedom’ and ‘liberty.’ Nearly six years later, a decisive Patriot victory at Yorktown, VA led to the beginning of peace negotiations between British and American representatives, and the eventual end of the war and recognition of American independence in 1783.
While key moments of the war took place on Virginia battlefields, the state’s political leaders tackled the critical issue of forming a new government and determining which rights should be guaranteed for its citizens. George Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights laid out the fundamental rights of citizens and the responsibility of the government to protect those rights. These same principles later inspired fellow Virginian James Madison as he crafted the Bill of Rights. As the nation’s first president, George Washington established many of the traditions and expectations of the executive branch. And, while some names remain more famous than others, this institute will also explore the diverse, lesser-known stories – like that of printshop owner Clementina Rind, who printed news of rising tensions between the colonists and British representatives, and Harry Washington, a man enslaved by George Washington who sought freedom by joining the British Army.
As the capital of Virginia – moved during the war at Thomas Jefferson’s urging – Richmond is uniquely located to host an exploration of not only Virginia’s role in the American Revolution but also the legacy of these Revolutionary ideals. For nearly 250 years, people have gathered here to petition and to protest, as is their right under the Constitution’s Bill of Rights. In 1800, Gabriel Prosser, an enslaved blacksmith, recognized the importance of the Virginia Capitol as a symbol of freedom and place of power, and planned to capture it during a rebellion to bargain for freedom for enslaved Virginians. In 1909, prominent Richmond women founded the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia to advocate for women’s suffrage. On April 23, 1951, Barbara Johns led the entire student body of Robert Russa Moton High School on a walk-out of their sub-standard, segregated school building in Farmville, Virginia. The NAACP tasked Richmond lawyers Oliver Hill and Spottswood Robinson to bring suit against Prince Edward County. By 1954, the case became part of Brown v. Board of Education, and the U.S. Supreme Court declared unanimously that ‘separate but equal’ schools were unconstitutional. None of these individuals were given equal rights during the founding of the United States – but all called upon the rhetoric of freedom as spoken by the Founding Fathers to make their claims.
These workshops will draw on the vast collection of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture to illustrate the above topics, and arm teachers to better teach about not only the events and people involved in the American Revolution, but also ideas about freedom and liberty – and how to inspire our students to keep fighting for “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
