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You Have No Right: Law and Justice in Virginia – Citizenship

Editor’s Note: This blog post contains information from the Library of Virginia's 2012–2013 exhibition "You Have No Right: Law and Justice in Virginia" developed by…

Mari JulienneOctober 19, 2026

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The Marquis de Lafayette and the Unfulfilled Promise of the Revolutionary War

The Marquis de Lafayette's farewell tour of America in 1824–1825 inspired an unprecedented outpouring of affection for the aging hero of the Revolutionary War. During…

Lee Ann TimreckOctober 7, 2026

Education & Programming Newspapers

Who Owns the Story of Lottie Moon?

In the early 1960s, the Girls Auxiliary at First Baptist Church in Virginia Beach was popular with the congregation's parents. A national program founded by…

Leila ChristenburySeptember 16, 2026

Archives Digital Projects Education & Programming The Stacks

Introducing the Ideas in Action Project

But first things first, I’m Eric Johnson, the coordinator of the Ideas in Action: Virginians Petition Their Government, 1776-1786 project, a three-year initiative at the…

Eric JohnsonAugust 5, 2026

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“Call us men and brethren, and all the tears shed in the past will be forgotten”

Riddle me this. What is the connection between an African American sheriff and postmaster in Essex County, Virginia, a Freedmen's Bureau teacher in Tappahannock, and…

Lee Ann TimreckJuly 15, 2026

Archives Education & Programming

“Declare the United Colonies free and independent”

Virginia's fifth Revolutionary Convention began on May 6, 1776, the same day that the House of Burgesses gathered as a body for the last time.…

Mari JulienneMay 13, 2026

Archives Education & Programming

April 1st is No Joke for the United States Census

April 1 is not only April Fool's Day, but every decade for more than 100 years it has also been Census Day, the official day…

John DealApril 1, 2026

Archives Education & Programming Manuscripts & Special Collections

Never Built: Virginia’s Unrealized Architectural Legacy

In 2008, the Library of Virginia presented an exhibition titled Never Built Virginia to highlight examples of structures that never were and pose the question,…

Vince BrooksMarch 2, 2026

Archives Digital Projects Education & Programming

A Moment of Reflection for Black History Month

One hundred years ago this month, Dr. Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week which, decades later, became Black History Month. Since 1968, February has…

Lydia NeurothFebruary 25, 2026

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Looking Back to Move Forward: Dr. Carter Woodson and the Commemoration of Black History

February 2026 marks the centennial of the first Negro History Week, established by Carter Godwin Woodson. The son of formerly enslaved parents, Woodson was born…

Library of VirginiaFebruary 11, 2026

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Taking Office: Gubernatorial Inaugurations in Virginia

Editor’s Note: This blog post contains information from the Library of Virginia's 2001–2002 exhibition, "Taking Office: Inaugurations of Virginia's Governors," curated by Barbara Batson and…

Library of VirginiaJanuary 14, 2026

Education & Programming

“To Take Our Place in the Business World”: Jackson Ward’s Segregated Economy

House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History (July 17, 2025 – February 28, 2026) highlights the history of Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood and explores the…

Library of VirginiaDecember 15, 2025

Education & Programming Newspapers

The Legend of Chessie

While the Loch Ness Monster lives in Scotland, the Chesapeake Bay has its own legendary creature: Chessie. The story can be followed through the Rappahannock…

Casey ClaubergNovember 26, 2025

Archives Education & Programming Manuscripts & Special Collections

A Brief History of Public Housing in the City of Richmond

House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History (July 17, 2025 – February 28, 2026) highlights the history of Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood and explores the historic…

Ashley CraigNovember 17, 2025

Archives Education & Programming Manuscripts & Special Collections

Political Life in Virginia

Editor’s Note: This blog post contains information from a previous Library of Virginia exhibition, "A full vote, a fair ballot, and a free count": Political Life…

Library of VirginiaNovember 3, 2025