In the Beginnin. Virginia, Along the Trail of Enslaved Africans

Journey into Richmond’s history to visit the sites where few monuments exist. These newly marked sites tell the other half of the story; the story that lives between the pages of history books — in red, white and black. An interactive experience along the Trail of Enslaved Africans, attendees have the chance to ponder the impact of enslavement on the enslaved as shared in their own words and from their own view. Embarking by bus after a contextual visit to the Society’s cultural center, participants will walk in our ancestors’ footsteps from their arrival point at river’s edge into Shockoe Bottom, the area of Richmond that housed the holding pens, jails, blocks and burial ground. The interpreters will interweave the narratives of enslaved Africans with the historical record, characterizations of the day and music. Disembarking from your bus and along the walk, participants will have the chance to immerse themselves in past occurrences that impact our perspectives today.