Gunston Hall's 5th Annual Seeds of Independence program explores a small antebellum settlement of free blacks clustered along the "Neck Road," now known as Harley Road, on Mason's Neck and situated within properties owned by whites, some of them the owners of a few slaves.
Film premiere - "Between the Lines: Free Blacks Living on Mason's Neck During the Civil War" A short film documents the impact of the Civil War upon this community.
Illustrated talk - "On Uneven Ground: Finding Freedom in the Civil War Chesapeake" Professor Kym S. Rice, discusses the everyday experiences of African Americans in Northern Virginia during the Civil War. Professor Rice is Director of Museum Studies at George Washington University and Co-author of "The World of a Slave, Material Life of Slaves in the United States," and was Curator of the exhibit "Before Freedom Came, African-American Life in the Antebellum South" at the Museum of the Confederacy and the related book by the same title. Finish the day with a Sweet Potato Pie Reception & Guided Mansion Tour. Program includes film, talk, reception, & tour. $9, Adults; $8, Seniors; $5, 6 - 18 years.
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