Source: Adapted from Historic Germanna’s Enslaved, Freedpeople and African American Descendants: An Untold Story Spanning 305 Years (1720–2025) by Amber Miller. For more than three centuries, the story of Historic Germanna has been told through the experiences of governors, settlers, ironworkers, and frontier families. Yet another story—equally important and deeply intertwined with Germanna’s history—has remained largely hidden. It is the story of the enslaved Africans, freed

Juneteenth special events set for Friday afternoon at the African American Commemorative Park in Orange Hilary Holladay Jun 18, 2026 Article in its entirety James Bruce Monroe III grew up in Orange and has lived here almost his entire life. After high school, Monroe enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and spent five years on active duty, mostly at Dover Air Force Base. During a phone interview on Monday (June 15), he told me of his time at the Delaware base, “That’s where I discov

Photos and an interview with descendant James Bruce Monroe at a historic Black cemetery in Orange County, VA Brian Palmer Jan 31, 2026 https://bxpnyc.substack.com/p/a-trip-to-little-petersburg?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true Gravestone for Mr. Oscar Davis at Little Petersburg Cemetery, Orange County, Virginia. January 8, 2026 "Oscar Davis. He died in 1968, and I would have been about 14 years old at the time,” James Bruce Monroe told me as we stood in the

If you missed the Annual Meeting and the presentation "Carrying Freedom Forward, The Gordonsville Women Waiter Carriers" by Shannah Mort, here are the slides. Enjoy and remember to share this post to people who may not know this piece of Orange County History.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 3, 2021 "The Albemarle 26" Marker Inscription. On 3 Sept. 1963, nine years after the U.S. Supreme Court declared racial segregation of public schools unconstitutional, 26 African-American students desegregated Albemarle High, Stone-Robinson Elementary, and Greenwood School. With the leadership and support of their parents, community members, and the Rev. R.A. Johnson, these students courageously sought and obtained the equal e

OCAAHS Board Member Jo-Ann Brock reads to 4th graders about Chef Edna Lewis at Grelen Nursery in Somerset. The field trip was devoted to...

In celebration of Black History Month, we honor the journey of African American students, teachers and staff members in Orange County....

written by Zann Nelson Part One First was Lucy Quarles, born to freedom as a white woman in Louisa County and by 1836 had become a widow...

In Honor of Women's History Month 2022, OCAAHS wanted to pay tribute to Edna Lewis and the Lewis family. Below is an amazing obit...

Who knew that one of the very first nationally acclaimed advocates for the advancement of women’s rights and the improvement for all...

Article adopted from February 2022 Orange County newsletter INSIGHT.” | Jayson Woods, Communications Specialist for County of Orange,...