Here is Gregory Schneider at The Washington Post: Here’s what we know: On March 23, 1775 — probably in the afternoon — a self-taught lawyer named Patrick Henry arose in a little white church in Richmond and unleashed a scorching, […]
Virginia history
Remembering the Virginia Squires
I am a sucker for all things American Basketball Association. (Listen to my interview with historian Theresa Runstedtler about her book Black Ball: Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Spencer Haywood, and the Generation That Saved the Soul of the NBA). I was […]
The Author’s Corner with Marvin Chiles
Marvin Chiles is Assistant Professor of African American History at Old Dominion University. This interview is based on his new book, The Struggle for Change: Race and the Politics of Reconciliation in Modern Richmond (University of Virginia Press, 2023). JF: […]
Copper spoon found at Jamestown
This is a great little Facebook post from the Jamestown Rediscovery Project: What’s an archaeologist’s white whale? A copper alloy spoon, apparently! Director of Archaeology Dave Givens always wanted to find a copper spoon – it was one thing he […]
Virginia will commemorate “Green Book” locations
The Negro Motorist Green Book (or simply Green Book) was an annual guidebook that included businesses–hotels, restaurants, etc.– friendly to African American travelers. Last month Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin signed into law a bill that designates surviving Green Book locations […]
William & Mary’s monument to the enslaved
More and more colleges and universities are coming to grips with their connections to slavery. Here is historian Jody Lynn Allen at Perspectives on History: In the 1930s, William & Mary (W&M) constructed a four-foot brick wall around the oldest […]
Was West Ford the enslaved son of George Washington?
Who was West Ford? What was his relationship to George Washington? (Teaser: He was not his son). What role did Ford play at Mount Vernon? Jill Abrahamson covers it all in a recent piece at The New Yorker. Here is […]
Is there just one American origin story?
Emily Sclafani teaches history at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx. Here is a taste of her piece at the American Historical Association’s Perspectives on History titled “The Danger of a Single Origin Story.” I write this as a secondary […]
“The moral arc of the universe not only bends toward justice, but takes an occasional twist toward irony as well”
The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia will decide the fate of Richmond’s Robert E. Lee monument. Here is Michael Paul Williams at Richmond.com: The prophesy that John Mitchell Jr. issued about the Robert E. Lee monument continues […]
Why did the historian of the Virginia governor’s mansion just resign?
Earlier this week Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin was shopping in Alexandria when this happened: In case you couldn’t hear Youngkin’s response to this woman, he said “We’re all making choices today.” Well, it looks like Kelly Fanto Deetz also made […]
Glenn Youngkin’s Virginia history
Washington Post writer Dana Milbank got his hands on a 7th grade Virginia history textbook used in the commonwealth’s public schools from the 1950s through the 1970s. Here is a taste of his piece: Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin opened a tip line so […]
Another time capsule is found in Richmond’s Robert E. Lee monument
They have been looking for this thing since September. Here is ABC News: After a time capsule found last week proved to be a letdown, another one has been found in the pedestal of a now-removed Robert E. Lee state […]
David Barton’s son talks slavery and Black history with sportswriter Jason Whitlock. It is a train wreck.
Tim Barton, the son of David Barton, appeared on sports writer Jason Whitlock‘s show “Fearless.” The show is part of Glenn Beck’s “Blaze Media.” Whitlock joined Blaze Media because he “wanted to partner with people who wouldn’t look at me […]