Unbound : Free Black Virginians, 1619-1865

Accompanying an eponymous exhibition at The Virginia Museum of History & Culture, Un/Bound: FreeBlack Virginians, 1619–1865 tells the vital story of Virginia’s free Black population prior to emancipation.

On the eve of the Civil War, around 60,000 Black men, women and children lived free in the state of Virginia, often alongside enslaved neighbors. Their lives were rich and full. Some stayed in Virginia, living, working and thriving despite serious threats to their lives, some moved north or, further still, across the Atlantic to Liberia. However, their storiesremain largely untold in the traditional rendering of Virginia’s history. Neglecting to study the lives of Virginians who were not enslaved prior to emancipation is a missed opportunity to explore an under-told and oftentimes inspirational story about Virginia’s past. 

By delving into collections across the Commonwealth, whether theauthoritative records of the state or testimonies left by free Black people themselves, fills a critical gap in our understanding of Black Virginia.