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A Life Rediscovered: The Story of Emily Winfree

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Emily Winfree, an African American woman who lived through slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow, never...

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Abolitionist Pitcher

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Learn about how this pitcher based on Uncle Tom's Cabin was used as propoganda in the mid-1800s.

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Advice and Etiquette Books

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Studying etiquette books offers researchers a glimpse of how people interacted and how they adapted to their changing...

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Affidavit, 1693

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This affidavit informs the governor that Frank, a man of African descent enslaved by Henry Gibbs, has been jailed on...

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Arthur Ashe Jr.’s Family Tree: Tracing the Blackwell Family to 1735

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See a rare family tree, drawn by hand on canvas, tracing Arthur Ashe, Jr.’s family.

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Booker T. Washington

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Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) was born enslaved on April 5, 1856, in Franklin County, Virginia. After emancipation...

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Convict Leasing

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For much of the twentieth century, convicts worked on Virginia’s roads. This practice grew out of the convict lease...

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Elizabeth Keckley

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Born a slave in Dinwiddie County, Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley (1818–1907) purchased her freedom in 1855 and supported...

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Freedmen's Schools

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In the antebellum South, African Americans were generally prevented from receiving education. After Appomattox...

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Glee Clubs

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The VMHC has several glee club items in its collection. The earliest item, an 1848 broadside entitled “Rally Whigs”...

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Let Us Commence: Graduating At A Distance

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Learn about the history of commencement ceremonies and traditions in Virginia.

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Murals Inspired by the Story of Virginia

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Richmond is now home to more than 100 outdoor murals, and this popular form of artwork reflects the city’s modernity and...

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Olaudah Equiano

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Snatched from his Ibo village in Nigeria at the age of eleven, Equiano (c. 1745-1797) was transported to Barbados...

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Political Sheet Music

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Politicians have long appreciated the value of a campaign song during an election year. A popular tune can rally the...

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The College of William and Mary

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The town developed around the college in the early eighteenth century once the General Assembly moved the seat of the...

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The Honor of Membership

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The governing body of the museum has elected close to 200 honorary members in its 175-year history. The long list...

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The Peaceful Transfer of Power: Oaths and Inaugurations

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The Resurrection of Henry "Box" Brown

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Learn about Henry "Box" Brown and one of the most memorable escapes from enslavement.

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Tiny Tomes

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Defined as no more than three inches in height or width, miniature books were first produced with convenience in mind...