400 Years Forward - Hampton, VA

06/12/2024

- Head on over to Hampton for a series of Juneteenth events, honoring the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, and celebrating African American culture and heritage.

🖤 “𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞”
Saturday, June 15, 10 am at Hampton History Museum (120 Old Hampton Lane in Downtown Hampton)

In this powerful program of freedom and empowerment, storyteller and actor Valerie Davis portrays one of Virginia’s unsung heroes, Martha Ann Fields, an enslaved cook from the Nutshell Plantation in Hanover County. Along with her eight children, she crossed the Pamunkey River in the dead of night, reaching Union lines and freedom. Presented by Arts for Learning Virginia, underwritten by Hampton City Schools (Free)

❤️ 𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭 – 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬
Sunday, June 16, 12-7 p.m. at Mill Point Park (100 Eaton Street, Hampton, VA)

Enjoy cultural arts, dance storytelling, kids activities, live entertainment, health screenings/fair, games, & more! Presented by CELEBRATE HEALTHCARE (Free)

💛 𝐀 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 – 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲
Wednesday, June 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at The Event Center of Hampton (227 East Mercury Boulevard, Hampton)

The Hampton Juneteenth Pageant is more than glitz, glam and Juneteenth history, the contestants will not only display their outer beauty, but will also reveal their internal struggles with a mixture of song, laughter and tears. Presented by Hampton History Museum. Tickets $5

💚 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐚: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Friday, June 21, 6 p.m. at Hampton Coliseum

Join us for an unforgettable night of R&B, Southern Soul, and old school music with DJs Eroc, Lawrence, Mike Jones, and Cleve, vendors, food, community, and unity. Tickets $25-50

🖤 𝐎𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Saturday, June 22, 3-8 p.m. at Monroe Rooftop at The Landing Hotel

Oasis Day Party Series is bringing music, food and fun to celebrate Juneteenth. Come dance or take a dip in the pool. Indulge your taste buds with mouthwatering Caribbean food, freshly cooked right on the grill, by Lil Dutch Pot. Tickets $15-300

06/04/2024

Check out the 3rd Annual Juneteenth Freedomfest – Celebration Fathers and All Families with CELEBRATE HEALTHCARE at Mill Point Park! Special Performance by the Dynamic GO-GO Band Be’la Dona! This in-person event promises to be a day filled with joy, music, food, and community spirit. Come together with your loved ones to celebrate this important day in American history. Let’s honor our past, celebrate our present, and look forward to a brighter future for all families. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-juneteenth-freedom-fest-celebration-fathers-and-all-families-tickets-881849554757

05/25/2024

On Saturday, June 8 at 11 am, The Sankofa Projects will host their 13th Annual International Day of Remembrance at Outlook Beach at the Fort Monroe National Monument.

The day’s events will include an annual Ceremonial Remembrance Walk around the Tree of Remembrance, a procession to the water, poetry, drumming and traditional songs and theatrical performances. At 12:00 noon an International Libation will be orchestrated by Baba Orimalade Ogunjimi of Ile Nago and will occur simultaneously across the United States in Brooklyn, New York; Montgomery, Alabama; Oakland, California; Charleston, South Carolina St. Croix, Virgin Islands, and internationally.

This event is free and open to the public. We ask that all respect the sanctity of this sacred ceremony.

Attire: Please wear White or Traditional African garb. What to Bring: Fresh flowers for the Ancestral Offering. Beach chairs, blankets, and other beach paraphernalia. Bring your DRUMS and other music makers to celebrate these Ancestors and this culture! Gently worn shoes for community arts project and donation to a local charity.

More info: https://fortmonroe.org/event/special-event-sankofa-project-remembrance-middle-passage-ceremony-at-outlook-beach/

- with Fort Monroe at Old Point Comfort, Remembrance Rituals of the African Diaspora- The Sankofa Projects, Fort Monroe's Casemate Museum, Hampton History Museum, Visit Hampton, Virginia!

04/18/2024

The Contraband Historical Society, in partnership with Fort Monroe at Old Point Comfort, will hold its annual commemoration of the Contraband Decision of 1861 and will pay tribute to the first three enslaved men, Frank Baker, Shepard Mallory, and James Townsend to self-emancipate there in May of 1861. Their actions inspired Union General Benjamin Franklin Butler to make an unprecedented decision to grant them sanctuary. As a result, Fort Monroe and Hampton became the first “safe” destination for thousands of enslaved people in their fight for freedom during the Civil War.

The May 18th program is free, open to the public, and will include:
▪️ A historical reenactment of the 1861 Contraband Decision at Fort Monroe
▪️ Historian Dr. William Wiggins will tell the story of recently discovered Contraband and US Army soldier Nelson Ballard, who is buried in Hampton.
▪️ Musical performances by Jonah’s Run and the Western Branch High School Chorus under the direction of Choral Director Robin Duncan.
▪️ A short preview of the PBS documentary in development, The Gate: The Untold Stories of America’s First Contrabands

Come hear more about this often-overlooked piece of American history and about CHS’s many new initiatives to bring the ancestors' histories into the light! More info: https://fortmonroe.org/event/special-event-escape-to-freedom-hosted-by-the-contraband-historical-society/

03/07/2024

There's still time to enter to win a giveaway featuring some of the local Black-owned businesses in Hampton, VA!

📲 To enter, visit & check-in into at least 4 of the locations listed in our Hampton Black History Sites Pass (via https://bit.ly/439qyE0).

02/29/2024

The "Descendants" of Hampton's rich history preserve the stories of their ancestors and historic landmarks. The stories of Tucker Family Cemetery, Contrabands, Aberdeen Gardens, and Bay Shore Beach continue to be cherished and told. These stories and many more are the fabric of Hampton’s more than 400-year Black history and heritage. As we remember the past, our focus now shifts moving forward.

02/28/2024

Discover the rich history of black churches in Hampton! These churches are significant because they represent some of Hampton’s first African American sanctuaries. More than just a religious congregation, they were a source of moral & social advancement. https://visithampton.com/historic-black-churches/

These churches are significant because they represent some of Hampton’s first African American sanctuaries. More than just a religious congregation, they were a source of moral & social advancement.

02/22/2024

The Hampton Family Tree is a guide to African American heritage, history, famous footsteps, landmarks and more. Named in honor of the Emancipation Oak, the Family Tree explores the last 400 years of history, and includes a One-Day Itinerary for African American Heritage sites in Hampton. This history is important to America’s history, and learning about these sites will help you have a meaningful visit to our city.

➡️ https://visithampton.com/family-tree-african-american-heritage-hampton/ ⬅️

02/15/2024

Hampton’s 400+ year Black historic sites tell a powerful story of perseverance, heritage, and pride. Get the ‘Hampton Black History Sites Pass’ for a self-guided list of historical sites to visit.

📲 https://visithampton.com/tickets/black-history-month/

Visit & check into 4+ locations between Feb. 1 - March 15 to be entered to win a giveaway featuring some of our local Black-owned businesses!

02/09/2024

Pamela Holley’s great great grandfather Robert Langley Brooks escaped to Fort Monroe. He and many others followed three enslaved men, Frank Baker, Shepard Mallory and James Townsend, who 1861 sought refuge at Fort Monroe and were declared "contrabands of war" by Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler.

The Contraband Historical Society is dedicated to educating, elevating, and celebrating the stories of the contrabands, and Black history. Learn the stories of these freedom seekers by visiting Fort Monroe at Old Point Comfort.

02/02/2024

Dive into the rich tapestry of Hampton's history with ‘The Descendants,’ our newest video series 🎥✨ for Black History Month drops every Friday.

This February, join us on an immersive journey as we spotlight personal stories with interviews featuring descendants who have a personal connection to Hampton’s Black history. These individuals share intimate ties to landmarks such as William Tucker 1624 Society, Contraband Historical Society, Aberdeen Gardens, and Bay Shore Beach.

Be sure to follow us and stay tuned for the release of our first video on Friday! 📆

Experience over 400 years of Black history in Hampton, Virginia.

01/29/2024

In Hampton, Virginia, African Americans have been integral in shaping the city for over 400 years, influencing everything from culture and community development to education and research. This month, take the opportunity to explore Black History by visiting key landmarks and immersing yourself in the rich history and culture through various Black History Month events in Hampton. https://visithampton.com/honor-black-history-month/ 👈🏿

Visit Hampton for black history month to see the black heritage sites that are landmarks in the history of Black Americans, from the first arrival to emancipation.

01/26/2024

01/19/2024

Coming to Visit Hampton, Virginia! for Black History Month? Plan to explore these key African American heritage sites with a self-guided driving tour: https://visithampton.com/black-history-driving-tour/! Spots include where the first Africans landed in America, to the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, and a historic neighborhood "Built by Blacks, for Blacks."

Explore Black History with this self-guided tour of key African American heritage sites in Hampton; from the first Africans in America, to the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, and a historic neighborhood "Built by Blacks, for Blacks."

12/05/2023

Join the Hampton University Museum Dec. 7 - 9 for three entertainment-filled days of refreshments, activities, and one-of-a-kind items at the 30th Annual Holiday & Kwanzaa Marketplace! Learn more at https://home.hamptonu.edu/msm/2023/12/01/30th-annual-holiday-and-kwanzaa-marketplace/

10/16/2023

Last week the first of a series of new plaques attached to historical highway markers to commemorate sites featured in Virginia’s Green Book, a travel guide for Black Americans, was unveiled.

📍 The marker is located at the original site for the Bay Shore Hotel, a popular vacation destination in Hampton for Black Americans during the time when local and state Jim Crow laws legalized racial segregation, at Buckroe Beach in Hampton: (330 S Resort Blvd, Hampton, VA 23664).

Thank you to the many organizations for putting this event together to honor a part of our local history, including: Virginia is for Lovers, Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Virginia Department of Transportation, Hampton, VA - Gov, and Visit Hampton, Virginia!

10/10/2023

Join us Thursday, October 12 at Bay Shore Beach in Hampton (330 S Resort Blvd, Hampton, VA 23664) for an unveiling of the first of new plaques attached to historical highway markers at Bay Shore Beach to commemorate sites featured in The Green Book, a travel guide for Black Americans.

At the ceremony, a plaque will be unveiled at the original site for the Bay Shore Hotel, a popular vacation destination in Hampton for Black Americans during the time when local and state Jim Crow laws legalized racial segregation. We anticipate a remarkable event, with the Governor presenting the signed bill before the marker's unveiling.

The Green Book helped African Americans know where it was safe to travel during Jim Crow. For decades, many of those sites were lost or unnoticed. The Virginia Green Book marker represents a poignant chapter in our state's history, showcasing the resilience of the African American community during the era of segregation.

Experience over 400 years of Black history in Hampton, Virginia.

08/11/2023

Discover the stories of Hampton's past through our new interactive map! 🗺️ You can explore over 140 historical markers, including Virginia Historic Markers, Hampton Heritage Markers, Civil War Trails, Inc., and Fort Monroe at Old Point Comfort Markers. Start your adventure now!

Check out the map 👇🏽
https://bit.ly/47reyQ8

Experience over 400 years of Black history in Hampton, Virginia.

06/19/2023

represents the day when ALL became free in our country. Hampton was the home to many significant strides in the fight for emancipation, like the first Southern Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation happening under the limbs of this very oak tree.

Learn more about Hampton's Black History this summer by taking a smartphone tour 📲 More info at: visithampton.com/400yearsforward/

05/22/2023

Reflecting on the 1861 Contraband Decision -- a turning point for the freedom & hope of many enslaved individuals, which happened right here at Fort Monroe National Monument, earning it the name 'Freedom's Fortress'. In May of 1861, 3 enslaved men, Frank Baker, Shepard Mallory and James Townsend escaped to the Union-controlled fort, where acting commander Gen. Benjamin Butler declared them 'contraband of war' rather than returning them to their slaveholders. This decision sparked a wave of enslaved people seeking refuge at Union strongholds, transforming the Civil War into a fight for emancipation.

Come out to Fort Monroe on Weds, May 24 at 7 pm for a commemorative ceremony.🕯️ For more info: https://bit.ly/3BFvNyn

05/18/2023

On , celebrate with us the important role museums play in our community! Whether you like space exploration, classical art or history, taking the time to learn in these spaces informs us about our past and future. Pay a visit to these excellent Hampton museums:

🏛️ Hampton History Museum
🪖 Casemate Museum at Fort Monroe National Monument
🎨 Hampton University- Official Museum
🪐 Virginia Air & Space Science Center
🇺🇸 Fort Monroe National Monument Visitor & Education Center
🏘️ Aberdeen Gardens Historic Museum

02/21/2023

It's the 4th annual Hampton Roads Black Restaurant Week until Febraury 27th! Mango Mangeaux, Charlotte’s Cafeteria by Simply Panache, Roux Raw Bar & Grill, Scratch Bakery, 1865 Brewing Co. and Bowman's Soul N the Wall are all participating. Don't miss the chance to try some of Hampton's best Black-owned restaurants at a discounted rate! See details on specials ➡️ https://bit.ly/3lZOpF2

02/15/2023

There is still time to win a limited edition poster if you visit at least 4 of Hampton's Black History & Heritage Sites and check-in with our mobile pass! Take advantage of sunshine this weekend to get out and explore ☀️ https://bit.ly/3I09Bln

Hampton's Black historic sites tell a powerful story of perseverance, heritage and pride. Tour Fort Monroe, the site of the 1619 landing of the first African...

02/12/2023

Are you familiar with the Aberdeen Gardens neighborhood in Hampton? It’s a historic neighborhood built for and by African Americans in 1934, and 156 of the 158 original homes remain intact. Read to learn about the history behind the country's first planned African American community, right in our backyard!
https://bit.ly/3HQlw6q

Seven streets make up the community just off Aberdeen Road. This unique place is a 440-acre subdivision that was a result of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Settlement.

02/06/2023

Find yourself in awe under the sprawling limbs of the Emancipation Oak, given its name for being the site of the first Southern reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. Pull right off of I-64 and onto the campus of Hampton University- Official to enjoy history and freedom in the tree's shade 🌳

02/02/2023

The beautiful and historic Magnolia House Inn has recently landed on Travel + Leisure Co.'s list of '18 Amazing Black-owned Hotels Around the World'. Check out History Before Us's review of his stay below, and read the article to find out what makes this property a worldwide chart-topper ➡️ https://www.travelandleisure.com/hotels-resorts/black-owned-hotels

02/01/2023

Happy ! Honor Hampton's Black history and culture by visiting these sites and attending these events this month 🔽:
https://bit.ly/3kZoBZ8

Black History Month is an annual observance of accomplishments by African Americans and a time for recognizing their pivotal role in U.S. history. African Americans have played a massive role...

01/19/2023

Weekends are the perfect time to explore Fort Monroe at Old Point Comfort!

🚶 Take a self-guided walking tour, leading to 21 different historic sites
🌊 Enjoy Chesapeake Bay vistas along the seawall
🍻 Grab a beer from Oozlefinch Beers & Blending, or a bite of seafood from The Deadrise 🍤

Where will your weekend lead you?

01/16/2023

that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made several visits to the Hampton University- Official campus, and his mother Alberta Williams King graduated from Hampton University in 1924?

We honor his legacy this Martin Luther King Jr. Day.