About

With the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution fast approaching, educators across the Commonwealth will see more emphasis on the events, individuals, and ideals of the Revolution popping up in their classrooms. However, the Virginia Standards of Learning are filled with vague language like “Some American Indians fought alongside the Virginia patriots, while others fought with the British” or “Women took on more responsibility to support the war effort” while not including any named individuals to offer jumping off points to teachers unfamiliar with the content. This workshop will go “beyond the bullet points” by introducing teachers to a diverse cast of people who aren’t mentioned in the standards, but can teach us about the variety of roles that Virginians played in this conflict.

Some people mentioned will include:

• Clementina Rind – Designated public printer for the colony of Virginia
• Robert Mursh – Pamunkey tribal member and Continental Army soldier
• Harry Washington – an enslaved man who sought freedom by joining the British Army’s Ethiopian Regiment
• John Wickham – A New York Loyalist who later moved to Richmond and made a name for himself as a lawyer after the war

In addition, we will end by exploring what freedom and liberty looked like to those who grew up in the aftermath of the American Revolution, and how the rhetoric may have inspired them to seize their own freedom – such as in the case of Gabriel Prosser, an enslaved blacksmith who attempted a planned rebellion of enslaved people in hopes of compelling then-Governor James Monroe to support freedom for Black Virginians.

This workshop co-hosted by The Valentine is open to educators of any grade level, though will prove most helpful to those in 4th or above. The workshop is free, and snacks will be provided. The workshop lasts from 10:00am-12:00pm and educators are welcome to explore the rest of the museum in the afternoon."

Feel free to reach out with any questions to Maggie Creech at mcreech@virginiahistory.org