“Finding Freedom: Exploring the Stories of African-American Men and Women in Revolutionary War Virginia” is the title of a program to be sponsored by the Middlesex County, Virginia 250 Committee on Sunday, March 22, at 3 p.m. at St. Clare Walker Middle School, 6814 General Puller Highway, Locust Hill. The presenter will be Adrienne G. Whaley, director of Education and Community Engagement at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.
On the eve of the American Revolution, people of African descent made up almost one fifth of British North America’s population. Almost half of them lived in Virginia. They loved, worked, worshipped and strove to build lives and protect their families and communities despite the hardships they faced.
In this animated talk, you will hear some of these Virginians’ dynamic stories in an age of Revolution, from those who sought their freedom with the British to those who felt the hope for a brighter future lay with the Revolutionary cause. Hear their names, discover their bravery, and consider their difficult decisions in Revolutionary War Virginia and beyond as we think about what it means to be American on the 250th anniversary of our nation’s daring founding.
Adrienne G. Whaley is an educator and history lover who earned her bachelor’s degree in African-American Studies from Harvard University and her master’s degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked in both art and history museums, including the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the African-American Museum in Philadelphia, and the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum.
The Middlesex County, Virginia 250 Committee was created by the Middlesex County Board of Supervisors in 2023 and tasked with commemorating the semi-quincentennial (250th anniversary) of American independence. The 250 Committee’s five organizational members include the Colonial Seaport Foundation, the Deltaville Maritime Museum, The Heritage Committee of Middlesex County, the Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society, and the Urbanna Museum.
This program is free and open to the public.
For information, contact Kelsey Briggs at 804-758-8112 or k.briggs@co.middlesex.va.us.
