‘Un/Bound: Free Black Virginians 1619-1865’ Black History at its best
Exhibition: “Un/Bound: Free Black Virginians, 1619-1865” Black History at it’s best.
Dates: Through July 4, 2027
Curator: Elizabeth Klaczynski, Ph.D., associate curator of exhibitions, Virginia Museum of History & Culture
Venue: Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC), Richmond, Virginia
Location: 428 N Arthur Ashe Blvd, Richmond, VA 23220
Significance: The Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) is dedicated to telling the stories of all Virginians spanning time, region and station. This obviously includes Black History.
Building upon research about centuries of free Black Virginians and regional exhibitions focused on local communities, “Un/Bound: Free Black Virginians, 1619-1865” endeavors to encapsulate the broader, statewide story in depth and at a yet-to-be-seen scale through a collection of artifacts and rich histories told by descendants and experts.
Collaboration, origins and publication: In 2021, Tim Sullivan, former president of William & Mary, and Jim Dyke, former Virginia secretary of education, wrote an article for the Richmond Times-Dispatch calling for support in telling the story of free Black Virginians and “advancing scholarship and promoting public awareness of a unique component of Virginia and American history.” Following this article, the VMHC began to collaborate with Sullivan and Dyke, as well as other subject matter experts and institutions of higher learning, leading to the creation of “Un/Bound: Free Black Virginians, 1619-1865.”
Collaborating institutions include Norfolk State University, Virginia State University, William & Mary, Longwood University and Richard Bland College. Alvin J. Schexnider, former interim president of Norfolk State University, joined Dyke and Sullivan in helping to guide the exhibition. The three collaborated on the foreword to the companion publication, which also features essays from Melvin Ely, Cassandra Newby-Alexander, Stephen Rockenbach, Sabrina Watson and Evanda Watts-Martinez. For “Un/Bound,” the VMHC has brought together objects from individuals and some of Virginia’s more than 500 history organizations — a frequent, intentional practice that enhances the state history museum’s ability to tell the most comprehensive story of Virginia in a central location. “As Virginia’s oldest museum, and the only museum dedicated to saving and sharing the whole of Virginia’s history, the VMHC is the institution best positioned to bring local and regional history organizations together to share information, expertise and collections,” said VMHC President & CEO Jamie Bosket. “These collaborations deepen shared values, facilitate shared progress and enhance our visitors’ experience.”