Virginia Humanities

Afro-Virginia Exhibition Premieres June 7 in Charlottesville

On Friday, June 7, from 5:30-7:30pm, Virginia Humanities African American Programs will premiere ‘Afro-Virginia: People, Place & Power’ during the First Fridays Art Opening at Studio IX Gallery & Listening Room

Banking on Freedom

Join us and New Dominion Bookshop for a reading and book talk with Shennette Garrett-Scott, author of Banking on Freedom: Black Women in U.S. Finance Before the New Deal. Between 1888 and 1930, African Americans opened more than a hundred banks and thousands of other financial institutions. Banking on Freedom: Black Women in U.S. Finance Before […]

A Conversation About Race with Dr. Beverly Tatum

A Conversation About Race with Dr. Beverly D. Tatum is an Understanding Hampton Roads forum sponsored by the Hampton Roads Community Foundation in partnership with Virginia Humanities. This community event, held at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Chesapeake, Virginia, will feature a talk by Tatum, author of “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together […]

Performing History: Sally Hemings in the Artist’s Imagination

In this panel, Victory Hall Opera presents African-American women artists and scholars, discussing what “Sally Hemings” means to them in their work and consciousness. How do the facts of history inform the artist’s creativity, and vice-versa? How can a figure about whom we know so little mean so much to so many, and why has […]

Beneath the Surface

Announcing a new partnership between the Hampton Roads Community Foundation and Virginia Humanities.

The new Beneath the Surface: Race and the History of Race in South Hampton Roads initiative focuses on Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach. The goal is to deepen awareness of the role race plays in issues confronting the region and to lay groundwork for positive transformation.

Soul Supper: Cora Harvey Armstrong

Our Virginia Folklife Program has partnered with The Front Porch to bring celebrated gospel singer and piano player Cora Harvey Armstrong to Charlottesville for a special performance as part of the Front Porch’s “Soul Supper” monthly concert series. This concert series, highlighting masters of American Roots Music, will feature a family style dinner at 5:30 pm and music at 7 pm. Dinner […]

The Long History of Racism and Police Violence in Chicago (and America)

Legendary Civil Rights lawyer Flint Taylor presents his recently published book, “THE TORTURE MACHINE: Racism and Police Violence in Chicago.” In addition to describing his work to uncover the use of torture in the Chicago Police Department, Taylor will discuss his involvement in other landmark civil rights cases, including the 1969 state-sponsored murder of Black […]

Teens Telling Stories of Hate & Prejudice

Share a Meal. Share Your Stories. Meet students from area schools Learn about teen bridge building projects Enjoy a catered meal Share your personal stories and listen to others Learn about peacebuilders This free event is part of Virginia Humanities’ Changing the Narrative project made possible by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Liberation and Freedom Day

Liberation and Freedom Day, commemorating the ending of slavery in the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, will be celebrated in Charlottesville on Sunday, March 3, 2019 with observances held at the University of Virginia. Sunday’s events will begin at 3 p.m. at the Rotunda Dome Room with remarks by chaplains of the United Ministries […]

The Long Roads of Memory

By David Bearinger Justin Reid tells the story this way. In 2014 he set out to find the site where his ancestors had been enslaved. What he found was not only a line connecting him to some of the most prominent families in Virginia, but also an unexpected lesson in the power of place to […]

Overlooked

Stories of African Americans from Virginia History

Our shared historical narratives—whether Black, White, or Brown—are all interconnected and can’t be understood in isolation from each other. For that reason, we’re always striving to tell more complete, inclusive histories, every month of the year, in everything we do. But February is a time when we stop and examine those intertwined narratives with an […]

Gallery5 – Conversation Series

A series of facilitated public conversations, presented monthly, exploring a range of social issues that are central to Richmond’s past and present. Richmond & the Suburbs – 1/30 Richmond & Black Freedom – 2/20 Urban Agriculture – 3/13 Richmond & Public Art – 4/17 Richmond & Sustainability – 5/15 Richmond & Transportation – 6/19 This […]