Shrank stories about individuals who led slavery volts, educated fellow free people, and participated in abolitionist on harpers welcome to the Virginia Museum of history and culture in richmond, virginia welcome to our latest special exhibition which is titled determined, the 400 years struggle for black equality. This exhibition is part of a statewide commemoration of the 400th anniversary of significant events that happened in virginia and fundamentally shaped the course of American History that statewide commemoration is called american evolution 2019 and the determined exhibition is a legacy project of that statewide commemoration. And particular, a determined determined commemorates the 16 19 arrival of the first recorded captive africans in virginia. Then it looks at the instilling 400 years and traces the legacy of the beginning of slavery in virginia through emancipation and segregation, the modern civil rights movement, up till the president they. One of the unifying themes of this exhibition is the struggle for equality. It explores various ways in which black virginians have fought for equality. Whether that means freedom from enslavement and in oppression, whether it means fighting for equal justice and equal access to opportunities. Also, fighting for full consideration of their humanity. The exhibition covers a broad chronological arc, but it uses the unifying threat of a fight for equality to explore both the victories and sometimes the defeats in that long struggle. The title determined, that phrase, is meant to embody the strength, the resilience and the determination of black people who faced various forms of oppression and discrimination throughout our history the word determined also evokes notions of predetermination and the sense that your position in American Society is often dictated by the color of your skin. We also hope that the word inspires people to think about what theyre determined to do once they learn about this history and experience this exhibition and go back out into their communities. We hope that experience leaves them determined to continue the fight to bring true and meaningful equity to American Society. So, why dont we go ahead into the exhibition and start looking at some of the key individuals. Determined is arranged chronologically to explore various facets of black history in virginia over for centuries the exhibition begins in 16 19 with the arrival of the first captive africans on virginias short. That marks the first recorded arrival of africans in british north america. There were two british privateers who brought about 50 instate people to virginia. The first shipment brought 20 and odd negroes as they were described in historical records. This display of silhouettes represents those 20 if it individuals who arrived on these shores. There semi transparent silhouette so you can look to a backdrop which is filled with names of the early people of african descent here in virginia. These are names that were drawn from the earliest colonial records of the Virginia Colony as well as the 17th century records of the museums on collections. These silhouettes are meant to evoke not only the presence of the first africans in virginia, but because these people are represented in silhouettes, a salute is a two dimensional form. It does not give the full three dimensional itty of their character and lives. That is meant to represent the fact that, right often, historians dont know very much about these people. There arent documentary records there arent artifact shovel records of these people. Their history is often obscured or even lost to us. Nevertheless, it is incumbent upon us as americans to understand these pivotal moments to our history. We can do that through the story eventually it was one of the first captive africans was brought to virginia in 16 19 1619. We know very little about her other than she likely came from present day angola. She was a victim of the International Transatlantic slave trade. She was on a portuguese ship that was sailing from the west african coast to mexico. A large slave market area. During the transatlantic voyage to british privateers attacked the portuguese ship and captured about 50 of the enslaved people on board including angela. The british ships then came to virginia. Thats how virginia arrived here. She only appears twice in historical records. She is listed on the early musters, or censuses, of the Virginia Colony. Her name is spelled angela and those musters. We know from those musters that she was living and working in the house of captain william pierce, who was one of the leaders of the Virginia Colony we have some items that evoke what her life might have been like. As i mentioned, we often do not have archeological or documentary evidence of these early people of african descent in virginia. So the exhibition tries to evoke what their experiences would have been like. With related objects. There were two items that were excavated from other early 17th century virginia plantations. They are indicative of what was probably in william pierces household and what types of items angela at work with. Theres a grub whoa that would have been used for gardening as well as a cooking pot. A ceramic pot that would have been used for food preparation. Visitors will also see this really extraordinary gourd fiddle. Its much later then angeles lifetime. This fiddle dates from the 19th century, but it represents the important impact that african culture had on american culture. Particularly American Music. This fiddle is made out of a gourd. That is a traditional kind of instrument that was used in west african cultures for centuries. West african musical traditions were brought to american shores by the captive africans who were brought here. They ended up having a profound impact on American Music and other cultural forms such as food ways and language and so forth. This fiddle is meant to represent the beginning of the influence of african culture on the development and the creation of a unique and mixed american culture. A culture that derives from european, native american as well as african traditions. In angelas display we also have some interpretive text asking the question of whether she was indentured or enslaved . Actually, theres a lot of confusion about the status of early africans and people of african descent in the Virginia Colony. Part of the reason for that confusion is that british law had not yet developed a codify system for slavery. And sometimes so sometimes, people of african descent were described as servants or in the same way that white indentured servants who came here from england and europe were described. These light indentured servants had contracts. Usually somewhere between four to seven years they were bonded to labor for that amount of time. After they completed their service, they were freed. There was a system of indentured servitude, but british law and british practices had not yet codified a system of slavery the way we understand it in American History. Thats why theres often confusion about the status about captive africans and those of african descent here in virginia. Nevertheless, its really important to understand that these black people, from the very beginning, were treated differently than white people. They were essentially enslaved they were forced into labor. They were brought here against their will. They did not come here with an indentured contract and obtain their freedom after a certain number of years of servitude. Speaking of the development of british law, a another key figure in the story is a man named sam. He was enslaved by a man in west more land county. Sam seems to have been a leader of slave revolt. Someone who was intent upon resisting his bondage and trying to obtain his freedom. In 16 88, he was punished by the virginia courts for fomenting rebellion. As punishment, sam was whipped in public, he was paraded around town in order to be made an example of and serve as a deterrent against other enslaved people who might be thinking about rebelling. He was also forced to wear a punishment collar for the remainder of his life. We have an example of a punishment collar here in the exhibition you can see what a horrifying object this is. It is a heavy iron collar that would have been a fixed around his neck. Then these prongs with sharp edges were meant to restrict his movement and visibly mark him in public as a troublemaker. Subjecting him to even further surveillance also, these types of objects were clearly meant to dehumanize the where so sams story not only highlights the universal desire for freedom and liberty, we see various forms of resistance to enslavement throughout the period of slavery in American History. Sams story also underscores physically coercive, the punitive nature and also the really barbaric nature of slavery as it was developing as a system here in the Virginia Colony and also throughout the rest of the british colonies in america. Another story in this early part of the exhibition looking at the colonial period and virginia, is the story of bamboo to harry and diana. They were to enslaved people of Robert King Carter. King carter as his nickname of king perhaps adjusts, was one of the most powerful and wealthiest planters in colonial virginia. And king carter represents the development of the Virginia Colony from what was first a fledgling outpost of the British Empire to what became, over the course of the colonial period, a gem in the crown of the British Empire. It became one of the most politically and economically powerful colonies in the British Empire. And that evolution transpired through to interrelated developments. The development of tobacco cultivation, tobacco became the primary cash crop of virginia. And also the development of slavery. Tobacco was a labor intensive crop, it required a lot of labors, planters, initially, nicola new virginia, in the 17th century they were using white insurgents. Over the course of that century, they realized that it was much more profitable to them to use enslaved black laborers. Thats how they had the development of slavery in virginia. It was a system that eventually spread throughout all the british colonies. And as the wealthiest planter, Robert King Carter represents how through that development of tobacco, cultivation, and slavery. We also have the strategy k shun of colonial Virginia Society into a very powerful elite planter class and everybody else, enslaved people at the bottom. Now i babmbora harry and dinah work two of the in sleeved workers of king carter. They want to resist their enslavement and they tried to run away. Unfortunately they were not successful they were captured and as punishment for their attempt to escape, Robert Carter got permission from the court in 1708 to have their toes cut off. As carter wrote to a fellow planter, that particular punishment and quoting here, cured many a knee grow from running away. So it was a punishment that was deliberately intended to not only harm and punish those two people who tried to escape, bambara harry and dinah, but it was also meant to serve as an example against other enslaved people who might have designs of running away themselves. This is another instance of the brutality of enslavement. For as horrific as that story is, however, i think it also underscores the intense desire for liberty and freedom. What the bambara harry and dinah were willing to risk in order to try to obtain their freedom. In the midst of the horror and brutality other punishment, i hope visitors can also appreciate their incredible courage courage and determination and the risks they were willing to take for the freedom. I think there is heroism in that story. A couple of the items we have related to the bambara harry and dinah story, we have an early circus 1700 Plate Printing block. This is a bloc that was used to make labels for packaging tobacco. Tobacco was such an important commodity throughout the world and in this period, we regularly see packages of tobacco labeled with those kinds of labels. And if you getting close and look at the details, you will see a planter smoking a pipe of tobacco with an enslaved black worker cultivating the tobacco fields in the background. A literal representation of the entertainment of tobacco and slave labor. We also have a really extraordinary document. This is a 1733 inventory of Robert King Carters state. It was taken the year after he died. It inventories all of his vast holdings, which included more than 40 plantations and more than 700 enslaved individuals and if you read the pages, you will see how the knee grows, as the term was used, again, im quoting, a historical term. All the knee grows in particular plantations are listed right along with furnishings, tools, cattle, and other assets. And this underscores the fact that enslaved people will work treated like assets. Legally, they were considered property. And counted as such. In inventories such as this one of robert concord is a state. This was made in 1733. At this point, bambara harry and dinah do not appear in this inventory, which suggests that they have either died or been sold off to a different master. Unfortunately, we dont know their ultimate fits. The we are now in the second chronological section of the determined exhibition, and this area explores the roughly century long period between the American Revolution and the civil war. Those are the two wars, the first of which established the United States is an independent nation, the second of which almost tore the nation apart, but ultimately ended 246 years of slavery in the United States. So we begin with what i described as a foundational paradox. The birth of our nation through its gaining gaining its independence from britain and becoming an independent nation. But the birth of this nation was predicated on a fundamental contradiction between the ideal of liberty and freedom, which is what the patriot cause was fighting for, and the reality of slavery. At the founding of our nation, all of the 13 original colonies practiced slavery. So slavery was a reality of american life, of the birth of the United States. And i think for many americans, myself included, its very difficult if not impossible to reconcile that conundrum. And its a conundrum that is embodied by two virginia great leaders, the great founding fathers, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The men who gained us our freedom through their leadership, who authored some of our most cherished ideals, such as the notion that all men are created equal. Yet, these two men also held hundreds of people in bondage, both of them were wealthy planters with hundreds of enslaved people. So they really embody that fundamental contradiction of American History. As we trace the century, roughly century long period between the revolution and the civil war, we see the nation growing increasingly divided over the issue of slavery. As the northern states gradually abolish that practice, the institution becomes ever more deeply entrenched in the Southern States including virginia as well as newly expanded states such as mississippi, alabama and so forth. Visitors will encounter a fascinating cast of characters in this section. One of the key figures whom we used to tell the story of a black history in this part of the exhibition is a woman named jane minor. She is someone who is not wellknown in the history books, but she has quite an extraordinary story. She was born into slavery and she worked as a nurse in petersburg. She gained her freedom in 1824 as a reward for heroically nursing the citizens of petersburg through an epidemic to reward her for that service, her owners freed her. Jane miner went on to continue practice nursing and we have some objects related to her practice bloodletting was a break standard medical practice up through the middle of the 19th century we have a couple of items that were used in bloodletting practices one is a lancet which was a bladed knife that you would use to cut into a brain another item is this coming jar. You would burn a candle under the cutting chart to heat up the air and create a vacuum and then you would put that cup over9m out the blood. These are the kinds of tools that chain would have used in her daily practice as a nurse. In addition to being a nurse, jane miner became an emancipator. After she was freed, she went on to purchase the freedom of 16 other enslaved women and children. It is a pretty remarkable story. We have some reproductions of the deeds that were issued by the Petersburg Court it shows what is a twostep process. First chain purchasing enslaved people and the second transaction was her giving them their freedom. Its quite a remarkable story. One of the women she freed was Phoebe Jackson. Her deed is reproduced here in this exhibition she gained her freedom and july 1840 with jane minors help. We also have a medical account book that Phoebe Jackson kept. Phoebe jackson herself was a nurse and we suspect a jean minor taught her the craft of nursing. So it is a very remarkable story, not only of the ways black virginians helped each other gain their freedom, but also how they passed on skills and knowledge through some kind of mentoring relationship. We have Phoebe Jacksons account book in which she lists the various treatments she provided. She knows how much it cost and then marks an account a spade when she obtained payment or that particular treatment. Like jane minor, Phoebe Jackson performed typical medical practices of the day. Coming and leading and leaching. Also, preparing bodies for the dead. Tending the sick and so forth. This is jane miner and Phoebe Jacksons story. Its also an important reminder that there were many freed blacks in virginia in the antebellum period. Particularly, there was vibrant communities of people of color as they were called back in those days. That said, even though they were free they still faced. Widespread Racial Discrimination because of the color of their skin. We are going to go explore a couple of other stories in this section. Stories of rebellion and revolt. Another key figure in this exhibition is madison washington. Surprisingly, he is a man whos not well known in the history books, what he should be because he led the single most successful slave revolt in u. S. History. That occurred in 1841. Madison washington was an enslaved man. He was sold at auction in richmond and then put on to a slave ship. The ship was bound for the slave market at new orleans. That speaks to virginias participation as well as dominance in the domestic slave trade in the decades leading up to the civil war. Many enslaved people were sold from virginia slave markets and sent to the deep south to work the cotton fields in the deep south. That was probably what Madison Washingtons intended faith was. During the voyage from richmond to new orleans, madison washington led a mutiny on board the ship. He and 18 other of the enslaved men on board broke out of the cargo hold. They commandeered the ship and sailed to the bahamas which was a british territory. At that time, slavery had been abolished in the British Empire. So madison washington and his conspirators knew if they got to british territory, they had a good chance of becoming free. The incident became an International Sensation and cost a diplomatic fewer between american slave holders who wanted what they considered their property back and the british government, which ultimately decided to free most of the 135 enslaved people who have been on board the creole including madison washington. So its really quite an extraordinary story. When madison washington and his conspirators broke out of the hold and were overpowering the crew, they had to improvise and use whatever weapons they could find at hand. That includes things such as a marlin spike. We have an example of it here. These were nautical tools which were used to tighten and tight ropes aboard the ship. We also have a beautiful although harrowing example of a sailors see chest. Sailors kept their personal belongings in chests such as this one. We did not know who owned this particular chest, what he did personalize it with the name of his ship and the nature of that ships business. There is a painted scene of a white man holding a black man in chains. This is a scene of the slave trade. We know that the brakes sultan was involved in the slave trade. We also have a copy of the original addition of Frederick Douglas is published novella, the heroic slave. Frederick douglas was so captivated by madison washington story that he penned a novella. This is Frederick Douglas is only work of fiction. Frederick douglas was of course himself a former slave who is a leading abolitionist voice in the middle decades of the 19th century. One of the most famous black intellectuals of that period. In his novella the heroic slave, he describes madison washington as eight freedom loving virginian akin to other freedom loving virginians like George Washington, patrick heady, Thomas Jefferson and other founding fathers. While Madison Washingtons story of revolt is a success story, unfortunately many attempts at slave revolts and escape were not successful. Thats simply because the entire system at the local, state and National Level was set up to preserve the institution of slavery. Enslaved people and their allies were trying to resist or fighting against insurmountable odds in many cases. We see that in the example of danger field newbie. Danger field newbie was one of the small group of men who joined the radical abolitionist john brown for his raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry in october 1950 1859. This raid was part of a planned slaved revolt. John brown and his army were not only going to take over the weapons and Harpers Ferry, they were also going to add a new cache of weapons and march through the south distributing these weapons to the enslaved people they encountered would rise up and revolt. Overthrow slavery in the United States. And john brown, who is an activist who had been fighting to end slavery for at least a decade, but 1859, he designed this plan for a revolt, because he felt the only way that slavery was going to end in the United States was through violence. Danger field newbies motivation for joining the ultimately unsuccessful raided Harpers Ferry, which was that in virginia, its today West Virginia, but in 1859, West Virginia did not yet exist. Danger field newbies region for joining john browns or much more personal. Newby himself was a former slave, even though he was free, his wife and children were still in bondage. After several attempts to obtain their freedom through trying to raise money to purchase them, through trying to negotiate with their master, he was at his wits and. He joined john browns army really out of desperation. A last resort, to try to free his family after other avenues had failed. And you get a sense of how personal this was for danger field newby, through several letters that were found on his person. Danger field newbie was the first man killed at Harpers Ferry. He died in the first day fighting. Several letters from his wife harriott were found on his person. These letters no longer survive, but they were transcribed as part of a government report on the raid at Harpers Ferry. And you can get a sense of what motivated danger field newbie when he read his wifes incredibly poignant very powerful and very painful letters, in which she is telling her husband, the master, he is struggling economically, he wants to sell me and our children down south soon. I just want to be reunited to you, please come quickly. Shes in treating him to help her, to get her and her children out of slavery, before they get sold down south. And that unfortunately is a tragedy that tore apart many enslaved families. Husbands being separated from wives, children being separated from their parents. Danger field newby was facing that tragedy and so he took up arms in the hopes that john browns rate would be successful, and he would be able to free his family from slavery. As i mentioned, john brown and his army were hoping to commandeer the weapons at the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry. John brown also commissioned 900 of these pikes from a connecticut forge. These pikes were going to be distributed since two enslaved people his army encountered as they march through the south. They were going to arm the slaves to fight with them to abolish slavery in the United States. We also have a 20th century print by the extraordinary African American artist Jacob Lawrence. Jacob lawrence did a series on john browns rate, and this is one of the prints from that series in which Jacob Lawrence uses both colors and geometrical simplified forms to express the Interracial Alliance of john browns army. Danger field newby was one of five black men who fought beside their with allies. It shows that interracial army armed with bullets as well as pikes that you see in this case. They are looking over these ramparts of the arsenal at Harpers Ferry, presumably looking at the state and federal militia who amassed to put down over that particular raid. We have just wrapped up our tour of the first two chronological sections of the determined exhibition, that explored the colonial period through the civil war period in which slavery was established in america up to the moment i where it was abolished in the civil war. To later chronological sections of the exhibition, the post slavery america, the period after the civil war up through the present day. This was the first of a two part tour of the Virginia Museum of history and culture is exhibit, on 400 years of african American History. You can watch this and other american artifacts programs by visiting our website, cspan. Org slash history. Thursday, a house ways and means subcommittee examines Lessons Learned from the pandemic, regarding trade manufacturing and critical supply chains. Watch live coverage thursday at 2 pm, eastern on cspan three, online at cspan. Org, or listened live with the free cspan radio app. Welcome back to the Virginia Museum of museum and culture here in richmond, we are