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The community of Thoroughfare was established after the Civil War primarily by free born and formerly enslaved African Americans. This exhibit explores the history of Thoroughfare through the people, places, and stories that contribute to its identity today. The Historic Thoroughfare traveling exhibit is also accompanied by an online exhibit about the community.
The Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County
4243 Loudoun Ave,
The Plains, VA
Historic Thoroughfare Traveling Exhibit
January 7th-22nd, 2025
All Events
Historic Thoroughfare Traveling Exhibit
The community of Thoroughfare was established after the Civil War primarily by free born and formerly enslaved African Americans. This exhibit explores the history of Thoroughfare through the people, places, and stories that contribute to its identity today. The Historic Thoroughfare traveling exhibit is also accompanied by an online exhibit about the community.
Fauquier County's Juneteenth Celebration
Join AAHA at Fauquier County’s 4th annual Juneteenth Festival in Old Town Warrenton.
To find out more visit the Fauquier Juneteenth website at www.fauquierjuneteenth.com
Patriots, Priests, and Rebels Book Talk
Join us for a book talk presented by Evelyn Randy Ruffin on June 11, 2024 at 1:00 PM
Patriots, Priests, and Rebels: A Virginia Family and America’s History
By Evelyn Randy Ruffin
Coalition to Save Historic Thoroughfare: Frank Washington
In honor of preservation month AAHA is please to host Frank Washington to share a local preservation movement. Frank Washington was born and raised in Thoroughfare Va. He is a member of the Oakrum Baptist Church where he holds the title of Chairman of The Trustee Board, Youth Director and Minister of Music. He formed the Coalition To Save Historic Thoroughfare three and a half years ago in efforts to protect historic Slave, Freed Slave and Indigenous gravesites and cemeteries not only in Thoroughfare but throughout the Prince William County and the state. Frank also holds a seat on the Prince William County Architectural Board.
He has worked closely with Virginia State Senator Danica Roem to help revise the Interment Rights Bill, a second Bill requiring proper printed notifications regarding any sale of properties containing a cemetery and a third Bill that allows varied forms of identification to help Black families prove their link to historic cemeteries.
Dirt Don't Burn Book Talk
Join us for a book talk, presented by Larry Roeder, April 2, 2024 at 1:00 PM
Dirt Don’t Burn: A Black Community’s Struggle for Educational Equality Under Segregation
By Larry Roeder & Barry Harrelson
“Dirt Don’t Burn is the riveting story of the heroic and effective uphill struggle of the Black community of Loudoun County, Virginia, and their friends to achieve quality equal education.”
African Americans and the Arts Movie Showing #3
This year's national theme for Black History Month is African Americans and the Arts. Many in our local communities have accomplished their goal of writing a book or painting a picture. Some display their talents through verse and song.
AAHA invites you to join us for a variety of shows and movies showcasing the talents of African Americans throughout history.
African Americans and the Arts Movie Showing #2
This year's national theme for Black History Month is African Americans and the Arts. Many in our local communities have accomplished their goal of writing a book or painting a picture. Some display their talents through verse and song.
AAHA invites you to join us for a variety of shows and movies showcasing the talents of African Americans throughout history.
African Americans and the Arts Movie Showing #1
This year's national theme for Black History Month is African Americans and the Arts. Many in our local communities have accomplished their goal of writing a book or painting a picture. Some display their talents through verse and song.
AAHA invites you to join us for a variety of shows and movies showcasing the talents of African Americans throughout history.
Book Talk by: Dr. Jan Meck
The Life & Legacy of Enslaved Virginian Emily Winfree
By Dr. Jan Meck and Virginia Refo
“This book dedicated to the thousands of families whose stories were lost during
246 years of Enslavement”
About the Authors
Dr Jan Meck and Virginia Refo are native Virginians and long-term residents of Richmond. Dr. Meck is a retired NASA scientist, and Virginia Refo is a retired foster care and adoption social worker and experienced genealogist. Since retirement, they have been docents and researchers at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture and received the Volunteers of the Year Award in 2019 for their work on the book to be presented. Dr. Meck also gives a free tour titled “African American Heroes of Richmond.” The authors have worked together since 2017, gathering information from courthouses, libraries, historical societies, community organizations and Emily Winfree’s descendants.
Available on YouTube following the presentation.
Thank you,
The AAHA and Know Their Names, Phase II Team
Know Their Names II Launch
KNOW THEIR NAMES: PHASE II IS SUPPORTED BY A GRANT FROM THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF HISTORY & CULTURE’S COMMONWEALTH HISTORY FUND, PRESENTED BY DOMINION ENERGY
Holiday Open House
PLEASE JOIN AAHA FOR OUR
Holiday Open House
Refreshments and Museum Walkthroughs
“Know Their Names Presentations”
10:30AM & 2:15PM
Classic Holiday Movie
12:00PM
KNOW THEIR NAMES: PHASE II IS SUPPORTED BY A GRANT FROM THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM
OF HISTORY & CULTURE’S COMMONWEALTH HISTORY FUND, PRESENTED BY DOMINION ENERGY
Fighting for Justice
Please join authors Harry F. Burroughs, III & David M. Kelly for a discussion on their book about a small Gullah community in Harris Neck, GA, the ongoing injustices of the federal government and the people’s continuing fight for the return of their land.
At AAHA
4243 Loudoun Avenue
The Plains, VA 20198
Condemned for Love in Old Virginia
AAHA will be Hosting Jim Hall for a Meet the Author, for his new book, Condemned for Love in Old Virginia. Tuesday September 19th at 1:00 PM in the AAHA Auditorium. After the talk, he will be available for signing books as well.
AAHA - Auditorium
4243 Loudoun Avenue
The Plains, VA 20198
Author: Jim Hall
Jim Hall is an award-winning journalist and popular speaker on Virginia lynchings. His book The Last Lynching in Northern Virginia: Seeking Truth at Rattlesnake Mountain was published by The History Press in 2016. His new book Condemned for Love in Old Virginia: The Lynching of Arthur Jordan was published in July, also by The History Press. He has a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and is a former adjunct instructor at the University of Mary Washington. A native of Virginia, he is retired and lives in Fredericksburg.
Know Your R!ghts
August 8, 2023 @ 7pm Path Foundation Building, 321 Walker Dr. Warrenton, Va
Has your landlord treated you unfairly?
Do you have questions about eviction, foreclosure, or your legal rights as a tenant?
Have you experienced housing discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, disability, age, or family status?
Than you should Please join Legal Aid Works & the NAACP Fauquier Branch for a FREE Fair Housing/Tenant’s Rights Forum
This will be a hybrid event - You may join us in person or online.
Register here: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Fair Housing/Tenants' Rights Forum | NAACP Fauquier (naacpfauquiercounty.org)
For more information, contact the Fauquier NAACP Housing Committee at: naacpfauquierco.housing@gmail.com
Walk-Ins Welcome
AAHA @The Movies August 1st
Located At:
Afro-American Historical Association Of Fauquier County
4243 Loudoun Avenue
The Plains VA 20198
We are happy to announce that during the summer, on four Tuesdays, we are planning to show movies in our auditorium, on AAHA’s lower level, designed for youth but interesting to adults as well. Our interns, Madison Canterbury and Emily Nolan, are selecting stories from our archives that tell of African Americans and events of history under the theme of African American Resistance, which is the 2023 theme for African American History month. Their lengths vary from 30-60 minutes.
Admission is free, but donations are always welcome.
MOVIES AND TIMES
(Please note, times may vary)
Movie Name: Princess and the Frog (G)
(SHOWING AUGUST 1ST @ 11AM)
Age Group: 6+ Summary: (1h 37 mins)
A hardworking young woman in New Orleans, Louisiana works to open and own her own restaurant. She is faced with challenges and resistances when another individual tries to buy the restaurant before her. With the help of some southern friends she is able to comeback from the many struggles.
Movie Name: Hidden Figures (PG)
(SHOWING AUGUST 1ST @ 1PM)
Age Group: 8+ Summary: (2h 7 mins)
African American women take on jobs at NASA. They overcome the challenges and resistance from higher officials. They are each placed in male dominated fields where they succeed. This leads to them getting a man to space while also breaking down some racial and gender lines.
Hosted by Emily Nolan & Madison Canterbury
AAHA @The Movies July 25th
Located At:
Afro-American Historical Association Of Fauquier County
4243 Loudoun Avenue
The Plains VA 20198
We are happy to announce that during the summer, on four Tuesdays, we are planning to show movies in our auditorium, on AAHA’s lower level, designed for youth but interesting to adults as well. Our interns, Madison Canterbury and Emily Nolan, are selecting stories from our archives that tell of African Americans and events of history under the theme of African American Resistance, which is the 2023 theme for African American History month. Their lengths vary from 30-60 minutes.
Admission is free, but donations are always welcome.
MOVIES AND TIMES
(Please note, times may vary)
Movie Name: March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed The World (G)
(SHOWING JULY 25TH @ 11AM)
Age Group: 5-10 Summary: (69 mins)
March On: Dr. King’s sister tells her brothers story about when he was going to deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech. Rosa: Tells the story about Rosa Park and her refusal to give up her seat and the impact it on history and other people. Martin’s Big Words: Examines Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and the famous words that allowed him to help other African Americans. Henry’s Freedom Box: Explains the story behind Henry Box Brown and how he was mailed to freedom.
Movie Name: The March: The Story of the Greatest March in American History (PG)
(SHOWING JULY 25TH @ 1PM)
Age Group: 10+ Summary: (60 mins)
This documentary examines the March on Washington and the individuals and events behind this historical event. Furthermore, it documents the fundraising and organizing moves made by Martin Luther King Jr. and others.
Hosted by Emily Nolan & Madison Canterbury
AAHA @The Movies July 18th
Located At:
Afro-American Historical Association Of Fauquier County
4243 Loudoun Avenue
The Plains VA 20198
We are happy to announce that during the summer, on four Tuesdays, we are planning to show movies in our auditorium, on AAHA’s lower level, designed for youth but interesting to adults as well. Our interns, Madison Canterbury and Emily Nolan, are selecting stories from our archives that tell of African Americans and events of history under the theme of African American Resistance, which is the 2023 theme for African American History month. Their lengths vary from 30-60 minutes.
Admission is free, but donations are always welcome.
MOVIES AND TIMES
(Please note, times may vary)
Movie Name: Ruby Bridges (PG)
(SHOWING JULY 18TH @ 11 AM)
Age Group: 9+ Summary: (1h 30 mins)
A six-year-old girl is picked to start integration at a private school in New Orleans, Louisiana. With the help of individuals, family, and religion she overcomes the resistances of certain individuals that are against the integration of whites and African Americans.
Movie Name: The Rosa Parks Story (PG)
(SHOWING JULY 18TH @ 1PM)
Age Group: 8+ Summary: (1h 34mins)
Rosa Parks was raised during Jim Crow’s “separate but equal” law. However, after Rosa marries her husband, she is faced with resistances when she tries to register to vote. She goes to work for the NAACP where she raises questions on African Americans position in society which led to a historical event for the civil rights movement.
Hosted by Emily Nolan & Madison Canterbury
AAHA @The Movies July 11th
Located At:
Afro-American Historical Association Of Fauquier County
4243 Loudoun Avenue
The Plains VA 20198
We are happy to announce that during the summer, on four Tuesdays, we are planning to show movies in our auditorium, on AAHA’s lower level, designed for youth but interesting to adults as well. Our interns, Madison Canterbury and Emily Nolan, are selecting stories from our archives that tell of African Americans and events of history under the theme of African American Resistance, which is the 2023 theme for African American History month. Their lengths vary from 30-60 minutes.
Admission is free, but donations are always welcome.
MOVIES AND TIMES
(Please note, times may vary)
Movie Name: Harriet Tubman (PG)
(SHOWING JULY 11TH @ 11AM)
Age Group: 8-11 Summary: (45 mins)
Harriet Tubman was a slave in the south that escaped the farm with the help of the Underground Railroad. She helped more than 300 slaves flee from the south to the north. She was called “The Moses of her people.”
Movie Name: The Journey of Henry Box Brown (G)
(SHOWING JULY 11TH @ 11:50AM)
Age Group: 5-8 Summary: (30 mins)
This movie looks at the slave Henry Box Brown that shipped himself in a box to freedom in the north. Henry meets some animal friends that help him get to freedom along his dangerous journey.
Movie Name: Underground Railroad: The William Still Story (PG)
(SHOWING JULY 11TH @ 1pm)
Age Group: 12+ Summary: (60 mins)
This documentary examines William Still an unheralded hero of the Underground Railroad. He kept detailed describes of the events that occurred in his life and many of the escaped slaves. His goal was to reunite families that were separated by slavery after reuniting with his own long-lost brother.
Movie Name: The Good River (PG-13+)
(SHOWING JULY 11 TH @ 2PM)
Age Group: 13+ Summary: (20 mins)
An enslaved man in the 1850s seeks freedom by passing through the Ohio River as part of the Underground Railroad. He must fight between the self-preservation and a life of self-sacrifice.
Hosted By Emily Nolan & Madison Canterbury
Slavery in the German Settlement
Next in the Lovettsville Historical Society’s Lecture Series:
Symposium: “Slavery in the German Settlement”
Sunday, July 9th at 2:00 p.m.
St. James United Church of Christ,
10 East Broad Way, Lovettsville
On Sunday, July 9, in lieu of our customary lecture, the Lovettsville Historical Society will present instead a Symposium with a speaker and a panel of local historians, on the topic of “Slavery in the German Settlement.”
Eirik Harteis, a history teacher from Taylorstown and a member of the Lovettsville Historical Society’s Advisory Board, has for some years been examining the history of the neighboring 1810 Stoutsenburger Farm. He became perplexed why a Revolutionary War veteran living in the German Settlement would own ten slaves by the time he died in 1837--in the heart of the Jacksonian Era.
Traditionally seen as opposed to slavery--and Unionist to boot--the section of Loudoun County in which the Stoutsenburger Farm was located, raised a Union cavalry unit, the Independent Loudoun Rangers, during the Civil War, and overwhelmingly voted for Virginia to remain in the Union.
Eirik’s subsequent research has looked at the County records to discover clues as to what extent slavery impacted the German-settled area of northern Loudoun. Does our traditional view hold up when the available statistical evidence is studied? What factors would come to play on the degree that slavery did or did not hold sway over economic, social, and political life in northern Loudoun in the years before the Civil War?
After Eirik presents, we have assembled a panel of local historians to respond to Eirik’s findings: Wynne Saffer, Donna Bohannon, John and/or Bronwen Souders, Dennis Frye, and Lori Kimball, with Rich Gillespie as moderator, will provide historical and regional context, raise some of their own questions, and lead our attendees in a discussion of the antebellum German Settlement on the eve of Civil War.
This should be an intriguing symposium, and we hope you will be able to participate. As always, no reservations are required. Admission is by voluntary donation—we simply “pass the hat.” This program will not be live-streamed on Zoom.
Book Event - Rice Theatre
Book Event - Rice Theatre - Highland School - Warrenton, Va
June 17, 2003 - 6:00 PM
Please Join authors Harry F. Burroughs, III & David M. Kelly for a discussion on their book about a small Gullah community in Harris Neck, GA, the ongoing injustices of the federal government and the people’s continuing fight for the return of their land.
For more information contact:
Harry F. Burroughs III — hburroughs1977@gmail.com
Dave Kelly — dkelly91@hotmail.com
Juneteenth
Juneteenth 2023: Saturday, June 17, 2023, 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Rain or Shine)
Theme: Community, Unity, and Commitment
11:00-5:00 PM Juneteenth Program, 60+ Vendors, Non-Profits, Food Vendors, Children’s Activities
5:00-8:00 PM Mini-Concert, Food Vendors
Fauquier County’s Third Annual Juneteenth community commemoration will take place on Saturday, June 17 from 11 a.m to 8 p.m. on Main street in Warrenton VA.
We will honor and celebrate Juneteenth, as well as highlight the African culture and experience. The day will include an African dance troupe, spoken word, contests to highlight Juneteenth’s history, a presentation of Black History through the lens of the Afro American Historical Association (AAHA) of Fauquier County, highlighting community events along with recognition of local heroes. Products, goods, and services will be provided by vendors and other local businesses.
Celebrate with us through sponsorship, hosting a vendor booth, becoming a contestant, or volunteering.
Find out more at Fauquier County Juneteenth (fauquierjuneteenth.com)
The Journey through Hallowed Ground Returns
NHA is operating the residential program July 2 – July 28, 2023. NHA will follow CDC guidance regarding masks, social distancing and vaccines. You can find more info at Journey Through Hallowed Ground | National Heritage Area
At a time when democracy is very fragile in the world, we know that it is more important than ever for our country's students and future leaders to learn about the history of our American democracy. The Journey Through Hallowed Ground is incredibly excited to announce that our groundbreaking National History Academy will return again in person this summer and provides just that opportunity. Ninety high school students from every corner of the country will participate in the transformative four-week summer Academy, based at the Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia from July 2 to July 28, 2023. The Academy allows talented high school students to study our past to understand our present and helps them prepare for their - and our country’s – future, while having a lot of fun doing so.
Each week, our students will visit important historic sites and museums in this unique region surrounding our nation’s capital. They will discuss cases developed by Harvard Business School Professor David Moss and relate historical events to serious issues we are facing as a country today through our parliamentary debate program while interacting with noted leaders in government, law, history, the arts and academia.
Students whose applications are accepted will be invited to register for the Academy. Tuition must be paid in full by June 15, 2023. Registrations submitted after June 15, 2023, require full payment at the time of enrollment.
You can find more information here and you can apply here directly.
VGS Volunteer Opportunity
Unique Volunteer Opportunity
NGS 2023 Family History Conference in Richmond
VGS invites you to join us for the National Genealogical Society (NGS) 2023 Family History Conference in Richmond 31 May–3 June 2023. An amazing variety of lectures and special events are planned with an emphasis on the theme, “Virginia, Deep Roots of a Nation.”
Volunteers are what make conferences successful, and we hope you will take advantage of this unique opportunity to volunteer during the event. You do not have to be a member of VGS or registered for the conference to volunteer.
If you haven’t attended a VGS conference or an NGS Family History Conference before, this is your opportunity to find out what going to a conference is really like. Come meet the VGS board! Come network with fellow genealogists! Come for a day—or several days! Many positions are available including conference bag prep, check-in, event ticket collectors, lecture room monitors, exhibit hall monitors, and tour escorts. And, don’t forget, if you do sign up for the conference, you can attend lectures with nationally renowned genealogists!
Volunteering for NGS 2023 is also a wonderful opportunity for high school or college students interested in history and genealogy who want to add volunteer experience to their resumes. We will, with pleasure, sign a statement certifying the number of hours you volunteer.
If you would like to volunteer at NGS 2023, sign up for the opportunity that interests you most at Signup Genius.
If you have any questions, please direct them to NGS2023Volunteers@vgs.org.
May Saxton & Birgitte Tessier NGS 2023 Volunteer Committee Co-Chairs
Volunteer Opportunities
Below are descriptions of more than 700 hours of opportunities from which to choose. You will have the opportunity to sign up for the opportunities you’re interested in and for as many hours as you are available.
Pre-Conference Bag Preparation: Tuesday, 30 May
Join the assembly line adding items to the conference bags each attendee receives at check-in. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet and network with fellow genealogists from around the country.
Tour Escorts: Wednesday, 31 May
Bus Tours
As a Bus Tour Escort, you will join one of the bus tours on Wednesday, 31 May:
American Civil War Museum, 9:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. This tour includes a quarter-mile optional walk along the James River.
Virginia Museum of History and Culture, 1:00 p.m.–4:15 p.m.
Duties include confirming attendees are registered for the tour; making sure water is on the bus; accounting for all attendees before the bus leaves the museum; and providing general assistance as needed.
Please bring a mobile phone to contact an NGS representative in case of an emergency.
Tours are guided; therefore, you only have to answer general questions from attendees.
Walking Tours
As a Walking Tour Escort, you will join one of the walking tours on Wednesday, 31 May. Two tours are offered in the morning and two in the afternoon.
Morning:
Jackson Ward, 9:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m., a one-mile walking tour. You will escort the group to Jackson ward, a short walk from the Convention Center, to meet the tour guide.
Virginia State Capitol, 9:45 a.m.–11:45 a.m. You will escort the group to the Virginia State Capitol, about six blocks from the Convention Center, to meet the tour guide.
Afternoon:
Black History Museum & Cultural Center, 1:45 p.m.–4:00 p.m. You will escort the group to the museum to meet the tour guide (about 4/10 mile from the Convention Center).
Virginia State Capitol, 1:15 p.m.–3:15 p.m. You will escort the group to the Virginia State Capitol, about six blocks from the Convention Center, to meet the tour guide.
Duties include confirming attendees are registered for the tour; making sure water is on the bus; accounting for all attendees at the end of the tour; and providing general assistance as needed.
Please bring a mobile phone to contact an NGS representative in case of an emergency.
Tours are guided; therefore, you only have to answer general questions from attendees.
At the end of the tour, you will escort the group back to the Convention Center.
Library of Virginia Support: Wednesday–Friday, 31 May–2 June
Wednesday–Friday, 31 May–2 June from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Sign up for as many hours as you are available.
Thursday, 1 June from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Sign up for as many hours as you are available.
As a support volunteer, you will be stationed either in the lobby of the Convention Center to help direct conference attendees to the Library of Virginia or in the Library of Virginia Reading Rooms to assist with tasks such as copying and scanning. Training will be provided.
Conference Support: Wednesday–Saturday, 31 May–3 June
Conference Check-in
Duties include checking the identification of each registered attendee; confirming the name and registration type; asking each attendee to ensure their name badge contains the correct information including meals, tours, and special events; and giving each attendee a lanyard and conference bag.
Ask Me
Duties include welcoming attendees; answering general questions about room locations; and providing directions to the check-in desk, exhibit hall, lecture rooms, rest rooms, meeting spots, etc.
Exhibit Hall Monitor
Duties include confirming only registered vendors enter the hall before and after official opening hours and answering general questions about the exhibit hall hours.
Floater
Duties include assisting with the unexpected such as filling in for another volunteer, taking an item or person somewhere, or helping find a specific person to deal with a question or situation.
Event Ticket Collector
Duties include collecting tickets from attendees; counting and recording ticket numbers; and assisting as needed. If you volunteer at the VGS luncheon, the speaker may require assistance with book signing after the presentation.
Room Monitor
Duties include arriving early to provide assistance, if needed, to the speaker; checking badges at the door; making attendees feel welcome as they enter the room; assisting attendees with special needs; monitoring the lighting and sound level in the room; and recording the number of attendees in the session.
Small rooms require one monitor. Additional monitors will be assigned for larger rooms.
VGS Exhibit Booth Staff
Duties include assisting with book sales and answering basic questions about Virginia research. VGS Board members will be on hand to answer intermediate and advanced research questions and questions about VGS membership. Training for credit card transactions will be provided when you arrive at the booth.
For additional conference information or to register for the conference, visit https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/.
PRAYER GATHERING - THIS SATURDAY!
We greet you with grace and peace, believing that you and your congregation are navigating these perilous times with strong faith.
Here we are again!--The Religious Affairs Committee, one essential part of the NAACP-Fauquier County Branch, sharing with you vital information and inviting you to join us in a most urgent Call to Prayer in support of Rev. Swann and the First Asheville Baptist church. As you know, First Ashville Church was vandalized and this family of believers are in need of our prayers and our loving support. We will pray, as well, for the perpetrators of this most unfortunate and seriously damaging act they have committed.
Article of vandalization can be read on Fauquier Now - NEWS --Marshall woman charges in First Asheville Baptist vandalism; charges pending against two juveniles, etc.
Please join with us on Saturday, May 27 from 12:30pm to 1:30pm at the church (see flyer below for location). We will pray mightily for this congregation and encourage them by our presence.
For more information, please go to naacpfauquiercounty.org or text the cell phone number below.
See you Saturday afternoon. Thanks soooo much!
Dr. Ethel Canty Bothuel, Chair
NAACP—Religious Affairs Committee
7059-B Fauquier County Branch (Virginia)
Mobile/Direct: 301-520-8983
Morgantown - A Special Presentation
A SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County (AAHA)
4243 Loudoun Avenue
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
10:00 a.m.
During the past several months, The Morgantown School Project has been fortunate to have the support of Marshall’s Mountainside Montessori School.
Recently, staff and students of the Mountainside Adolescent Program have worked diligently at the Site removing artifacts from the school’s crawl space. Please visit our website to view pieces of history and see a few of the pieces of the collection, www.morgantownschoolproject.org.
In a special program at AAHA, a display of the over 100 pieces of history will be displayed in the Museum aisle dedicated to Fauquier’s historical African American Churches and Schools. Mountainside students will select one or two of the items that they found most interesting. Perhaps those who attended Morgantown School might recognize an item or a memory from their days attending there.
Please join us in person or on-line on Wednesday, May 3rd at 10:00 a.m.
Thank you for your support!
A recording is available here: "Our apologies for the intermittent connectivity issues.”
Morgantown School 4/11: AAHA & Marshall's Mountainside Montessori Adolescent Program
The Landscapes of Black Poetry: A Furious Flower Reading
In celebration of National Poetry Month, Oak Spring Garden Foundation has teamed up with the Furious Flower Poetry Center at James Madison University to present an evening of poetry and conversation. As the nation’s first academic center dedicated to Black poetry, Furious Flower’s mission is to celebrate, share, and preserve the legacy of Black poets and poetry. Join us for a reception and reading with Furious Flower’s leadership, the two award-winning poets Lauren K. Alleyne (executive director) and L. Renée (assistant director), who will share poems of place, belonging, and engagement with natural world.
Poets:
Lauren K. Alleyne is the author of two collections of poetry, Difficult Fruit (2014) and Honeyfish (2019); two chapbooks, Dawn in the Kaatskills (2008) and (Un)Becoming Gretel (2022); as well as co-editor of Furious Flower: Seeding the Future of African American Poetry (2020). Her work has appeared in numerous publications including the New York Times, The Atlantic, Ms. Muse, Tin House, and The Caribbean Writer, among others. Her most recent honors include a 2020 NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Poetry, the longlist for the 2020 Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, and the shortlist for the 2020 Library of Virginia Literary Awards. Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Alleyne currently resides in Harrisonburg, VA, where she is a professor of English at James Madison University, and the executive director of the Furious Flower Poetry Center.
L. Renée is a poet and nonfiction writer living in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she works as Assistant Director of Furious Flower Poetry Center and Assistant Professor of English at James Madison University. Nominated for Best New Poets, Best of the Net and two Pushcart Prizes, her work has been published in Obsidian, Tin House Online, Poetry Northwest, the minnesota review, and elsewhere. The granddaughter of proud Black Appalachians, she won the international 2022 Rattle Poetry Prize and Appalachian Review’s Denny C. Plattner Award, among others. A recipient of fellowships from Cave Canem Foundation and the Watering Hole, L. Renée also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Indiana University, where she was Nonfiction Editor of the Indiana Review, and an MS in Journalism from Columbia University, where she was a Joseph Pulitzer II and Edith Moore Fellow. She believes in Black joy, her ancestors, wondering, and wandering.
You can sign up for the event here!