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Secrets & Symbols: Cooler by George Fulton
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Cooler for water or beer, 1856
George N. Fulton (1834–1894) for David Parr’s Pottery, Richmond, Virginia
On long-term loan from The Greenbrier, White...
Secrets & Symbols: Desk by John Shearer
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Desk, 1817
John Shearer (about 1760–after 1818)
VMHC Collection, Gift of The Children of Louis and Harriett Waldrop
John Shearer, a Scottish immigrant...
Secrets & Symbols: Temperance Quilt
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Quilt, about 1890–1900
Rena Effinger Coyner Koiner (1869–1949)
Cotton fabrics
VMHC Collection, Gift of Dennis and Kay Stockdale
Rena Koiner, the maker of...
Secrets & Symbols: Teresa Blount Portrait
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Portrait of Teresa Blount, about 1710–20s
Unknown artist
VMHC Collection
Traditionally, portraits contain clues to a sitter’s social identity. This...
Secrets & Symbols: "Crown of Thorns" Chest of Drawers
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“Crown of Thorns” chest of drawers, late 1800s
Unknown maker
VMHC Collection
So-called tramp art was popular across the U.S. from the 1870s to the 1930s...
"Shockoe Valley Topography and the Slave Trade" By Jeffrey Ruggles
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On Saturday, February 28, 2009, the community was invited to attend a conference about Richmond’s African American history, “Hidden Things Brought to...
Sites and Stories: African American History in Virginia
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On February 14, 2008, Lauranett Lee spoke about “Sites and Stories: African American History in Virginia.”
Historic highway markers are beloved...
Slave Auction Painting: Analyzing Primary Sources
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In this video, a VMHC Educator analyzes the painting Slave Auction, Virginia, by LeFevre Cranstone.
Soul Liberty: The Evolution of Black Religious Politics in Postemancipation
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That churches are one of the most important cornerstones of black political organization is a commonplace. In her new history of African American...
Steel Drivin' Man: John Henry, the Untold Story of an American Legend
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According to the ballad that made him famous, John Henry did battle with a steam-powered drill, beat the machine, and died. Folklorists have long...
The Civil War at a Crossroads: The Seven Days
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The Devil’s Half Acre – Book Talk and Discussion with Kristen Green and Dr. Carolivia Herron
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On September 19th, 2022, best-selling author and journalist Kristen Green joined Dr. Carolivia Herron to discuss the subject of Green’s book and...
The History Crisis in America: Myth and Reality
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On July 9 at noon, Charles F. Bryan, Jr., delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "The History Crisis in America: Myth and Reality."
History occupies a...
The Jeffersons at Shadwell
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On January 13, 2011, Susan Kern discussed her book, The Jeffersons at Shadwell. In her book, Susan Kern merges archaeology, material culture, and...
The Life and Legacy of Emily Winfree: From Enslavement to Carnegie Hall
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On June 16th, 2022, authors Jan Meck & Virginia Refo held a thoughtful talk and discussion about their new book, The Life and Legacy of Enslaved...
The Lincolns, the Booths, and the Spirits: Two Families and the Otherworld in the Civil War
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On September 8th, 2022, historian Terry Alford held a fascinating lecture about his newest book, In the Houses of Their Dead: The Lincolns, the Booths...
The Material World of Eyre Hall: Four Centuries of Chesapeake History
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On March 24, 2022, Carl R. Lounsbury delivered a lecture about four centuries of Chesapeake history as revealed through material world of Eyre Hall.
...The Old Bay Line—1840 to 1962
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On November 3, 2022, author Jack Shaum lectured on the subject of his newest book, 122 Years on the Old Bay Line.
Old Bay Line is the name by which...
The Paradox of Robert Edward Lee
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On June 1, 2017, at noon, David Cox delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "The Paradox of Robert Edward Lee."
Robert E. Lee remains as controversial...
The Paradoxical Emancipator: Abraham Lincoln and the Other Thirteenth Amendment
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On September 22 at noon, Daniel W. Crofts delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "The Paradoxical Emancipator: Abraham Lincoln and the Other Thirteenth...