The Story of Virginia: The Arrival of the First Africans

On February 11, 2021, historian Ric Murphy told the fascinating story of the arrival of the first Africans in Virginia in 1619. Based on his book, Arrival of the First Africans in Virginia, author Ric Murphy will discuss how in 1619, a group of thirty-two African men, women, and children arrived on the shores of Virginia. He will explore how and why they had been kidnapped in the royal city of Kabasa, Angola, and forced aboard the Spanish slave ship San Juan Bautista. He will discuss how the ship was attacked by privateers and how the captives were taken by the English to their New World colony in Virginia. He will also share how this group of Angolans were shrouded in controversy because of colonialism, treason, piracy, kidnapping, enslavement, and English law, and their present-day legacy.

Ric Murphy is a historian, scholar, lecturer, and award-winning author exploring the rich contributions made by African Americans in United States history. His latest book is Arrival of the First Africans in Virginia.

The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

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