Blandy Experimental Farm, Belle Grove, Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, the Clarke County Historical Association, and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley team up to welcome The Slave Dwelling Project for four events over three days that use storytelling and living history to help visitors learn about the daily lives of the enslaved people.
Please join us for a panel discussion in the Blandy library Friday, November 11th from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Moderator Jonathan Noyalas (Director of the McCormick Civil War Institute, Shenandoah University) will engage panelists Joseph McGill (Founder and Executive Director; Slave Dwelling Project), living historian Tammy Denease (Hidden Women Stage Company), Dave Carr (Director; Blandy Experimental Farm), and Adeela Al-Khalili (Vice-President, Josephine School Community Museum) in a conversation about the lives of enslaved people and the visible legacy of slavery on Blandy’s grounds.
Free, but registration required.
Other events associated with The Slave Dwelling Project's visit to the northern Shenandoah Valley:
Thursday, November 10, 7 p.m.
St. Thomas Chapel, 7854 Church Street, Middletown, VA 22645
Learn about the Battle of Cedar Creek. Kenyette Spencer Mills, descendent of free Black potter Abraham Spencer, will read from the 1915 book Battleground Adventures in which her ancestor, Serena Spencer, recorded her remembrances of the battle. Shannon Moeck, Park Ranger of Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, will discuss the Battle of Cedar Creek’s larger impact on the civilian community. Register through the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. This event is pay what you can.
Friday, November 11, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Burwell Morgan Mill, 15 Tannery Lane, Millwood, VA 22646
Living historians Joseph McGill, Terry James, and Cheney McKnight will conduct hearth cooking demonstrations and discussions of how enslaved labor was used in this space. More information here. This event is free with donations suggested.
Saturday, November 12, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Belle Grove Plantation, 336 Belle Grove Road, Middletown, VA 22645
Inalienable Rights: Free and Enslaved Blacks Crafting a Life in the Shenandoah Valley will be Saturday, November 12. Belle Grove Plantation will be open free of charge and feature special programming on the African American history of the site and of the Shenandoah Valley with special guests from The Slave Dwelling Project and Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park. Click here for more information on the Belle Grove website.
