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Questions?

Dr. Megan Shockley, the Shockoe Institute’s Consulting Historian, on a phrase that remains with her. Read her full response below.

“I think that Nell Painter’s definition of ‘soul murder’ is critical to understanding th

Looking to get involved? Become a volunteer at the Shockoe Institute and help us put history to work to improve our civic life. Volunteer Associates work alongside our staff to welcome visitors, support learning in The Lab, and help staff programs an

We want every visitor to leave the Shockoe Institute with a clearer understanding of the enduring impact of American racial slavery and with a deeper recognition of human agency in the face of brutal systems.

As Dr. Gregg Kimball reminds us, the jou

We look forward to welcoming you to 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙢, opening April 9th. To learn more about opening weekend, visit shockoeinstitute.org/events/premiere

After experiencing our 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙢 exhibit, we invite visitors to continue their learning journeys in our Lab through informal discussion and interaction.

Section 2 of 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙢 shows that laws don&rsqu

"Slaves worked harder, propelling their owners to new, previously unimagined heights of wealth and power. As they did, slave owners expanded their plantations and demanded more and more slaves, as slaves proved to be an extraordinarily valuable

As we continue to explore Section 2, we’re sharing an overview of Elizabeth Key’s courageous freedom suit from 1655, provided by Encyclopedia Virginia and available at the link in our bio.

Keys was born the daughter of a white male plan

In 1662, Virginia’s General Assembly passed a law stating that a child’s status would follow the mother, making slavery an inherited status. This decision, made by colonial elites with a vested financial interest in expanding access to en

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We are heartbroken by the tragic and untimely passing of William J. “Bill” Martin.

Bill was a tireless, happy warrior for the City he loved, and the City that loved him. Relentless in his advocacy for the fulsome telling of Richmond&rsqu