Freedom Suits – The UncommonWealth

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Stolen Coats, Stolen Freedom

In July 1813, a Black man named Roger was charged in the Richmond City Hustings Court with stealing a “Sourtaurt great coat.” I was not…

Lydia NeurothFebruary 28, 2024

Archives Conservation Digital Projects

Virginia Untold: Looking Back and Moving Forward

Editor's Note: Neither Virginia Untold nor Virginia Untold Project Manager Lydia Neuroth is going anywhere, but as we transition out of our two-year NHPRC grant…

Lydia NeurothJune 28, 2023

Archives

The Last Vestiges of Hope

Several of my colleagues have shared the personal stories of enslaved individuals over the past nine years as we work our way through processing and…

Callie FreedOctober 4, 2021

Archives

From Lancaster to Lunenburg: Betty Chapman’s Story in Virginia Untold

In 1788, the Virginia General Assembly reformed the state judicial courts in order alleviate congestion in the General Court, which had caused unreasonable delays in…

Greg CrawfordFebruary 11, 2019

Archives

The Cost of Freedom: A Campbell County Story

The Campbell County court ordered the sale of Louisa Alexander and her daughter, Eliza, because as enslaved persons, Virginia law considered them part of Louisa’s…

Mary Dean CarterFebruary 6, 2019

Archives

What a Difference a Day Makes: Serendipity in the Reading Room

The Library of Virginia employs both reference archivists and processing archivists. Reference archivists work exclusively with the public—the Library’s front line. Processing archivists work behind-the-scenes…

Callie FreedJanuary 24, 2019

Archives

A Will without a Way: An Amherst County Freedom Suit

Sometimes a will is not worth the paper it’s written on. Too often, people go through the trouble of creating a formal last will and…

Sherri BagleyJune 20, 2018

Archives Digital Projects

Virginia Untold: Freedom Suits

This is the first in a series of blog posts on the record types found in the forthcoming Library of Virginia research database: Virginia Untold: The…

Chris SmithJanuary 6, 2016

Archives

Flora’s Plight: A Montgomery County Freedom Suit

This is part one of a two part post on a fascinating freedom suit discovered during the Montgomery County Circuit Court Records Project. Part two of…

Regan SheltonApril 22, 2015

Archives

To Be Sold: Hester Jane Carr’s Story

T his is the last in a series of four blogs related to the “To Be Sold” exhibit which opens on October 27 at the…

Greg CrawfordOctober 22, 2014

Archives

12 Years a Slave

The release of the film 12 Years a Slave had us talking here at Out of the Box. Discussions on slavery are a common occurrence at the Library of…

Bari HelmsDecember 4, 2013

Archives Digital Projects

Middlesex Co. Chancery Goes Digital!

The Library of Virginia is pleased to announce that digital images for the Middlesex County Chancery Causes, 1754-1912, are now available online through the Chancery Records Index on…

Bari HelmsAugust 2, 2013

Archives

You Have No Right: Jane Webb’s Story

The colonial era Northampton County court records tell a fascinating story of a woman named Jane Webb. Born of a white mother, she was a…

Greg CrawfordNovember 14, 2012

Archives Education & Programming

"hundreds of the descendants of Indians have obtained their freedom:" Freedom Suits in 18th & 19th Century Virginia

A small slip of paper on display in the Library of Virginia’s latest exhibition You Have No Right: Law and Justice in Virginia, running 24 September 2012-18…

Brent TarterSeptember 26, 2012

Archives Digital Projects

Accomack and Fluvanna Chancery Now Available Online!

The Library of Virginia is pleased to announce that the Accomack County chancery causes, 1727-1805, and Fluvanna County chancery causes, 1779-1882, are now available on the Chancery…

Vince BrooksAugust 23, 2011