A panel of historians and archivists will discuss Freedman’s Village, a community of formerly enslaved African Americans established in 1863 on the Arlington, Virginia estate previously owned by the family of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The Freedman’s Village on the Arlington property evolved into a unique and thriving community with schools, hospitals, churches and social services. While intended to be temporary, the community remained on the land from 1863 until 1900, and it had a lasting legacy. Participating on the panel will be Damani Davis from the National Archives, Allison Finkelstein from Arlington National Cemetery, and Steve Hammond, a seventh-generation member of the Syphax family of Washington, D.C. Amber Forrester from the National Archives will serve as moderator.
This program is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation through the generous support of Verizon.