Give Me Liberty: VA & Forging of a Nation

Commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by focusing on Virginia’s pivotal role in the American Revolution. Give Me Liberty explores the continental and global forces that shaped the Revolution, while also highlighting the contributions of both well-known and everyday people of European, American Indian, and African descent. Give Me Liberty employs the metaphor of the founders planting the seeds of American liberty, which eventually grow into a “liberty tree,” symbolizing the enduring promise of freedom for all Americans throughout the centuries.
 
Curated in part by Harvey Bakari, Curator of Black History and Culture at the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, the exhibition explores the critical events that drew both free and enslaved African Americans into the Revolutionary struggle across the colonies, in towns and on battlefields. It also examines how founding documents, such as the Declaration of Independence, grappled with the paradox of slavery and American liberty. Mr. Bakari’s presentation will provide a glimpse into select artifacts, paintings, and interactive media installations that bring the story of American independence to life. Give Me Liberty, a collaborative exhibition between the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, will open on July 1, 2026, at the American Revolution Museum in Yorktown.

Please use link to register for lecture: https://www.tv-hs.org/programs  There is a $10 non-member fee collected at the door once you are registered. Seating begins at 1:30 pm. General admission.