The Promise of Freedom
November 1775. A proclamation declaring martial law has been placed in Virginia. Join the community as they confront the choices of an old promise fulfilled.
This event is one of many commemorating the nation's 250th anniversary. Click here to learn more.
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Dunmore's Proclamation and the Fight for Freedom
Fear and hope melded in uneasy tension throughout Virginia. Word of a proclamation that could change the fate of many made its way throughout the colony in late November of 1775.
Whispered voices carried word that Governor John Murray, Fourth Earl of Dunmore was offering freedom to enslaved people who came to his banner. Patriots saw the move by Dunmore as a treasonous ploy to incite a slave rebellion. Enslaved people across the colony saw it as an opportunity to grasp freedom.
