Williamsburg: Preserving African American History

Williamsburg, Virginia, and specifically, William and Mary and Colonial Williamsburg, has come a long way in acknowledging the contributions of African American enslaved and free people to quality of life since the landing of the first Africans to English North America more than 400 years ago. What was once an ignored legacy is now coming to light through thoughtful apology, rigorous scholarship, and archaeological findings. We talk about the latest finding - the identification of the structure of the Williamsburg Bray School - an 18th century school dedicated to the education of free and enslaved Black children. We also get an update on the archaeological dig of the original First Baptist Church, Williamsburg, the 3rd oldest Black church in America, built for and by Black people. Our guests include Jody Allen, the Robert Francis Engs Director of The Lemon Project at William and Mary; Connie Matthews Harshaw, President, Let Freedom Ring Foundation; Jack Gary, Archaeologist, Colonial Williamsburg; and others involved in the collaboration between William and Mary, Colonial Williamsburg and the Historic First Baptist Church of Williamsburg.