Unbound: Free Black Virginians, 1619-1865

A vital new volume exploring the history of Virginia’s free Black population prior to emancipation.

On the eve of the Civil War, around 60,000 Black men, women, and children lived free in the state of Virginia, often alongside enslaved neighbors. This volume documents the richness and variety of their lives. Although many remained in Virginia—living, working, and building communities despite serious threats—others migrated north or even across the Atlantic to Liberia. In tracing these lives, the book illuminates an under-told and deeply significant chapter of Virginia’s past.

Drawing on collections across the Commonwealth, including state records and firsthand testimonies left by free Black Virginians, this work fills a critical gap in our understanding of Black history in Virginia.

This publication accompanies an exhibition at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, running June 14, 2025 – April 4, 2027.