In the Beginning…Virginia, Along the Trail of Enslaved Africans Evolutionary, experiential and visceral along the Trail of Enslaved Africans, attendees are invited to immerse themselves in past occurrences that impact our perspectives today. From the African arrival point at river’s edge to Shockoe Bottom and the sites of holding pens, jails, blocks and African burial ground, interpreters will interweave the narratives of enslaved Africans with the historical record. From your bus and along the walk, participants will have the chance to ponder the impact of enslavement on the enslaved as shared in their own words and from their own view. Contextually, this interactive experience begins at Ẹlẹgba Folklore Society’s Cultural Center, a space that emphasizes the authenticity of continental and Diasporic Africa through material culture. Please encourage participants to wear comfortable shoes and dress. Bottled water is also suggested.

The sites on the trail occur in a wooded area along the river as well as in urban city settings. There will be some walking. In the Footsteps of Maggie Walker Ẹlẹgba Folklore Society creates and guides this cultural history tour as a contextual biography of Jackson Ward luminary, Maggie Lena Walker. Evolutionary from her birthplace in Church Hill to her elevation in Historic Jackson Ward, attendees have the chance to ponder black excellence and community building in early 20th century Richmond in light of its significance today.