Virginia was the site of the first permanent English settlement in
America. It is also the place where the first slaves disembarked. Eight Virginians have been elected as
President of the United States, four being among the first five presidents:
Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe. These factors make Virginia a
microcosm of both colonial society and the American culture that flowed from
it. Great care has been taken to interpret history holistically there, and
there are numerous museums, historic structures, tours and hundreds of markers
to guide you. Every site with African-American links highlights the
contradictions of life and liberty in the US. (www.visitcharlottesville.org)
Although the first land patents were issued in 1727, Albemarle
County was officially established in 1744.
It was named in honor of the second Earl of Albemarle. Charlottesville
became the county seat with a main street that previously served as a Monacan Indian
trail from the Blue Ridge Mountains to Richmond. The 50-acre, hilly, village
was named after Princess Charlotte, who would later become the wife of King
George III. Charlotte — considered the first Black Queen of England–was a
direct descendant of the African branch of the Portuguese Royal House. (www.albemarle.org).
Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas, purchased land in 1737, making his son’s ties to this region
permanent. Thomas was born on a 200-acre tract of land on the Shadwell
plantation in 1743. The home burned down
in 1770, but the name lives on. Shadwell’s Restaurant, winner of the 2017
OpenTable Diners’ Choice Awards, is known for serving the best seafood in
Charlottesville. Their crab cakes are particularly popular and are made of lump
crabmeat from the Chesapeake Bay with no bread filler. (www.shadwellsrestaurant.com).
In 1987, the University of Virginia (UVA) was designated a UNESCO
World Heritage Site. Thomas Jefferson is credited with the concept and design
of the “Academical Village,” which was conceived to encourage interdisciplinary
studies and dialog. The basic design included pavilions to function as
professor’s housing, dining hotels, student single room dormitories and the
Rotunda. The Rotunda — modeled after the Pantheon — was to be the site of
examinations, a library, worship services and a focal point of the university.
The cornerstone of the $400,000 university was laid on October 6, 1817, with Jefferson, Madison and Monroe in
attendance. (www.virginia.edu).
UVA is currently committed to completing “Virginia Mist,”a granite
memorial to the enslaved laborers who were instrumental in building and
maintaining the university. The school owned 100 slaves and rented out about 40
of them. It is believed that throughout
time, more than 4500 enslaved worked at UVA from 1817 until 1865. Two male
slaves, used to clear the land, were the first on site. By 1832, UVA owned four. Ultimately, there
was approximately one slave per 20 students. Slaves often accompanied the
students. Edgar A. Poerented a local slave from his master for his personal
use. Poe’s room, West Range #13, has been restored to its 1826 appearance.
Visitors can peer through a glass door and press a button for narration.(www.virginia.edu/slaverymemorial).
Jefferson School African-American Heritage Center is housed within
a 1926 building that was the only area high school for Black students. It was
desegregated in 1959 and fully integrated in 1967. The Center seeks to honor,
preserve and promulgate Charlottesville’s African-American legacy. The
permanent galleries of “Pride Overcomes Prejudice” are divided into: “The
Freedom Generation (1865-1895)”;“The Migration Generation (1895-1926)”; “The
Community School Generation (1926-1939)”; “The Civil Rights/Massive Resistance
Generation (1939-1959)” and “The Desegregation Generation (1959-1970).” The
Contemporary Gallery presents a series of changing, provocative, art exhibits.
A schedule of events and programs is available online. Visitors can obtain a
copy of the African-American Trail for Albemarle/Charlottesville guide here. It
lists 21 sites, a map and biographies. (www.jeffschoolheritagecenter.org).
Highland was the official residence of James Monroe, the nation’s
fifth President, from 1799 to 1823. Monroe was born in 1758, the second of five
children, in Westmoreland, Virginia. In 1790, he purchased land in Charlottesville
that held a stone house and the land upon which UVA stands. In 1793, he
purchased 1,000-acres from Jefferson and William Carter. His estate, Highland
–later called Ash Lawn — offers a
40-minute, 28 site, self-guided tour that includes a residence, gardens,
overseer’s house and slave quarters. At one point, there were as many as 250
enslaved persons living there, making
Monroe one of the county’s largest slave owners. He believed in gradual
abolition, but never freed any slaves of his own. The reproduced slave quarters
allow visitors to walk through and view demonstrations of the work done by the
enslaved. (www.highland.org).
Graduate Hotels are well-curated hotels that marry the college
experience, local flavor and prime locations and the Graduate Hotel Charlotte
is no exception. The hotel is located a 5-minute walk from UVA and a short
drive to the other sites on this tour. From the moment you enter you experience
outstanding hospitality and a series of touches that are reminiscent of college
days. Room keys are ID cards featuring pictures of well-known UVA graduates.
The accommodations are inviting, complete with Malin+ Goetz amenities and great
mountain and UVA campus views. There are two dining venues: the Heirloom
Restaurant and the Sheepdog Café. The rooftop Heirloom Restaurant offers
expansive views of the area and great food. The Sheepdog is casual and has both
indoor and outdoor seating. A 24-hour fitness center is located on the second
floor and bikes are available. A stay here is a great experience. (www.graduatehotels.com/charlottesville).
Virginia is the fifth largest producer of wine in the US. There are 30 wineries within a 30-mile radius
of UVA. Visitors can follow the Monticello Wine Trail, so named because of
Jefferson’s love of winemaking and the fact that this is considered the
birthplace of American winemaking. (www.monticellowinetrail.com).
TRAVEL TIPS:
Baltimore is commemorating Frederick Douglass’ 200th birthday with
a variety of events throughout the city. Many of the events will take place in
February. For a complete schedule go to www.baltimore.org/article/bicentennial-frederick-douglass-birth-events
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