Echoes of History: African American Churches and Cemeteries- Why Preservation Matters with Dede Smith

Thursday, May 2, at 4 o’clock IN PERSON at Jefferson School African American Heritage Center

Using GIS maps, both old and new, Dede will illustrate the historical significance of rural Black churches and cemeteries in Albemarle County; sites that represent the resilience and endurance of African American communities through periods of emancipation, segregation, and civil rights struggles. She aims to underscore the significance of preserving rural Black churches and their cemeteries as indispensable elements of a local heritage that is rapidly disappearing.

Next Meeting:

  • The Ten Largest Emancipations in Albemarle County with Sam Towler
    May 1, 2025 Ten years ago, Gayle Schulman did a draft index of where the emancipations of Albemarle can be located in the deed and will books of Albemarle. Building on this, Sam picked out the 10 largest emancipations of Albemarle from Gayle’s list and looked at them in detail and will present a summary.
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