Untold Stories of quiet Determination
The Village Initiative collaborated with descendants of the Reservation and William & Mary faculty and students to produce a film and digital exhibit exploring this history. These media draw on primary and secondary research, including extensive archival research at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., to present an in-depth look at the livelihoods and institutions built by Reservation residents before their displacement.
In the decades following the Civil War, formerly enslaved Black people joined free Black families to purchase land, build livelihoods, and establish communities near the York River. The tract of land on which they settled became known as the Reservation. In 1918, the U.S. government commandeered over 11,000 acres of this land to build what is now known as the Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown. Over the next few years, these families were displaced - pushed from their land and community.
Program Details:
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1 Hour Program
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Introduction to connecting the topic to themes of WWI and segregation/Jim Crow
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Viewing of the film
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Q&A with descendant families of the Reservation
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Lesson plans available from Jamestown High School educators focused on student research projects, including oral histories with descendants
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Digital exhibits available at: localblackhistories.gs.wm.edu
We can also offer digital scavenger hunts for students to dig deeper into the accompanying digital exhibit and/or primary source scavenger hunts for students to explore digitized primary sources from the National Archives in Washington, DC.
“Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this incredible project. It felt so special to be a part of it with my students.”
- Meghann McKnight, Jamestown High School Educator, WJCC Schools
This film pairs well with Civil Rights units in 4th Grade VA Studies, 7th Grade U.S. History, and 11th Grade US History, among other courses.