October 2, 2025 The Orange County Historical Society (OCHS) is conducting ongoing research to compile an inventory of free Blacks in antebellum Orange County, 1734-1865. Orange County free Blacks have been little documented, yet evidence exists of a diverse population with a variety of backgrounds, skills, and family/social connections within the county and surrounding region. This group included individuals who were free-born, emancipated, and who purchased their freedom. Their skills

September 4, 2025 The Digital Archive of Slavery to Freedom At Monticello (DASFAM) envisions a database that accumulates every reference to the people enslaved at Monticello, building a more comprehensive story of genealogical history, travel, commerce, and social dynamics from the 18th century onwards. The team will share the project’s structure and welcome feedback on features, layout, and representation. No CVHR Meeting in August. See you in September! September 4

July 3, 2025 Researchers at the JSAAHC will share updates from the Center for Local Knowledge, including: the Jefferson High School Yearbooks, Swords Into Plowshares, Embracing Our Narratives, Toward a Lineage of Self, and more. July 3 at 4 o’clock, in person at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center

June 5, 2025 The Garlands of Buck Island: Philip Cobbs will present a personal perspective of how a family perceives itself. He is the son of Elizabeth Garland Cobbs. June 5 at 4 o’clock, in person at the JSAAHC

May 1, 2025 Ten years ago, Gayle Schulman did a draft index of where the emancipations of Albemarle can be located in the deed and will books of Albemarle. Building on this, Sam picked out the 10 largest emancipations of Albemarle from Gayle’s list and looked at them in detail and will present a summary. An example of one of the summary slides is shown. In person at the JSAAHC.

April 3, 2025 Please Join Us on Thursday, April 3 at 4 o’clock – In Person- at Jefferson School African American Heritage Center Jody Lahendro looks forward to sharing with CVHR examples of documentary research he has used in preserving historic schoolhouses. In particular, the buildings are Progressive Era African American schools in the central Virginia region. Case studies will demonstrate how documentary and physical research work together to identify

March 6, 2025 Please Join Us on Thursday, March 6 at 4 o’clock ON ZOOM Dr. Lynn Rainville will share her research into the African American families who lived in Staunton and Augusta County. The biographies of these individuals are sometimes overlooked in the formal histories of the area. And yet, the contributions of these men, women and children are fundamental to the growth of the region and its many

February 6, 2025 Join us on Zoom where Joshua D. Rothman will give CVHR a short presentation on The Ledger and The Chain, How Domestic Slave Traders Shaped America. He will then answer questions through the meeting’s moderators. An excellent overview presentation on the domestic slave trade by Dr. Rothman, Sold South, a Brief History of the Domestic Slave Trade, can be viewed here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU4nvjBrZgQ We will meet on ZOOM

January 2, 2025 Niya Bates will present preliminary ideas and research from her dissertation which explores the 19th century history of maroon settlements in Ohio that were founded by Black Central Virginians and their impact on antislavery movements. Her research also reframes the history of the Underground Railroad movement within global traditions of marronage. She argues that free and fugitive Black people from VA and other states built an ever-expanding

December 5, 2024 Please Join Us on Thursday, December 5 IN PERSON at 4 o’clock at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. We will have short presentations by Jordy Yager, Darryl Howard, Dionna Mann and updates from our members on current projects. There will be no zoom coverage for the December Meeting. We will meet by zoom only January-March 2025 and resume in person in April