Imagine having to explain to the House of Delegates why you want to divorce your spouse, or change your name, or take other actions that affect your life. Virginians had to do just that for nearly a century. Their stories can be found in the Library's Legislative Petitions Collection.
The Library's collection of nearly 25,000 petitions reveals how Virginians communicated their concerns on a wide range of topics. Your Humble Petitioner: Legislative Petitions Gave Voice to Virginians highlights petitions that involved deeply personal issues such as divorce and requests by emancipated Black people to remain in the commonwealth, offering a glimpse into the realities of 18th- and 19th-century life.
