On Juneteenth, a ceremonial groundbreaking marked the reconstruction of First Baptist Church of Williamsburg—one of the oldest Black churches in the U.S.—on its original site, where enslaved and free Black worshippers once defied laws to gather in faith. The effort by Colonial Williamsburg aims to restore not only a historic structure but also the long-suppressed legacy of Black Americans who shaped the nation’s spiritual and cultural foundations.
Tag: Matthew Webster
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A complicated history: The Bray School’s role in educating free and enslaved children in Virginia
The Bray School, the oldest surviving building that formally educated free and enslaved African-American children, was identified by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and William & Mary in 2020 and is now being restored to be fully open to the public in Spring 2025.