Virginia Untold:
Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative
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Sankofa is a word in the Twi language (Ghana) that translates as
Go back and get it; often associated with the proverb It is not
wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.
Our motivation for creating Virginia Untold: The African
American Narrative aligns well with the Sankofa. The records in
this collection were previously stored in boxes and drawers,
metaphorically waiting to be fetched.
The Proverbial RoadblockFinding records from before the Civil
War is a roadblock for many when researching their African American
heritage.
- Henry Louis Gates
#VaUntold Records (projected)Local court records State
RecordsPersonal PapersNewspapersBusiness RecordsSpecial
Collections
African American NarrativeProject began in 2013
Supported by Dominion Power and Library Services &
Technology Act funds
Names Indexed: Over 100,000 and counting (slave and free)Digital
Images Created: over 50,000
Initial release:5,000+ records, many thousands of
names/stories
Records Available for SearchingFree Negro Registrations
(certificates, affidavits, etc)Freedom Suits (T)Cohabitation
Records (T)Petitions To Remain in Locality/Commonwealth (T)Coroners
Inquisitions (T)Petitions for Re-Enslavement (T)Deeds Of
Emancipation/Manumission (T)Certificates of Importation
(T)Apprenticeship Indentures Free Negro Tax ListsRequisitions for
Public Use, slave and free persons
(T) Transcription available
Purpose of Untold VirginiaNot just names. The names are access
points to individual stories of African-Americans, slave and free,
who lived in Virginia from the establishment of slavery in the 1619
until its demise in 1865. Collectively, these stories form a
narrative of a people that has not been fully told.
Goochland Co., Coroners Inquisition: Henry D. Carver, 1818.
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George acquitted along with two co-conspirators. Another slave
sentenced to hang.
Freedom Suits
Freedom Suits: John Lee, 1827
Freedom Suit: Daniel Wells, 1824
Freedom Suit: Jane Williams, 1824
Arlington Co. Judgment, Love v. Boyd, 1818
Free Negro Registrations
Elizabeth Johnson, 1802
Peter, Lynchburg, 1806
Deed of Emancipation,Louisa County,John Poindexter
toPeter,1794
Deeds of Emancipation/ManumissionDeed of Emancipation:Thomas
Cocketo Hannah,1810
Hannah, 1810
Deed of Emancipation: James Townshend to Caroline Townshend
& children,1833
Petitions to Remain in the Commonwealth
William Henry Burke,1850
Petitions to Remain: W. H. Burke, 1850
Petitions to Remain: W. H. Burke, 1850
Petition of Thomas Lewis, 1856
Scanned Records Complementing Virginia Untold
Chancery Causes Legislative PetitionsVirginia Chronicle
(Newspapers)WPA Life Histories
Available on www.virginiamemory.com
Fairfax County, Chancery Cause, 1846-033,George Kephart vs.
Joseph Bruin
Cullins family narrative
Five sisters: Sally Cullins, Ann Cullins, America Cullins, Jane
Cullins, and Judith Brooks (formerly Cullins).
The sisters were slaves set to be emancipated by the will of
John Cullins (died1833) upon the death of his children.
Jane Cullins died before the clause of will could be
enacted.
Janes daughter, Martha, became the property of Creed Taylor.
Free NegroRegistrations
Powhatan Co., Chancery cause, 1856-010
Last week your orator & oratrixes ordered a suit to be
brought in Chancery for the delivery of the said negro girl
[Martha] to them & further papers & subpoenas for that
purpose have been served on the said Creed Taylor & Jno. C.
Stratton. Since that time your oratrixes have understood from a
reliable source that the said Creed Taylor intends to carry the
said girl Martha to Richmond tomorrow for the purpose of selling
her. This has given your oratrixes great pain not on the account of
the value of Martha in money but because she is their flesh &
blood being of all except Nancy their niece & the granddaughter
of Nancy they are bound to her by the strongest ties of
affection.
Commonwealth vs.Ann CullinsSally CullinsAmerica CullinsJudith
Brooks
Cullins Family Narrative
Free Negro RegistrationsPetitions To Remain in Commonwealth
Petitions for Enslavement Commonwealth Causes [newly discovered
& not in VaUntold]Powhatan Co. Chancery Cause,
1856-010Wills
Any Questions?http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/aan/
[email protected]
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