Attend an Event
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From Freedom to Slavery
After making a free life for herself as an adopted Shawnee Indian, Methotaskee is brought back into slavery.
Art Museums Admission
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Thomas Jefferson and John Hemings: A Collaboration
After his retirement, Jefferson returned to Monticello, where he relied on his African American joiner, John Hemings, an enslaved woodworker, to build and decorate Monticello.
Art Museums Admission
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Works By Black Artists and Artisans
Tour the museum galleries, including the “I Made This” exhibition, to explore decorative arts and folk art made by Black American artists and artisans. Free reservation required.
Art Museums Admission
Free Event Ticket
Meet Our Nation Builders
Nation Builders portray real historic figures associated with 18th-century Williamsburg who made significant contributions to the American story. Meet a Nation Builder during your visit who helped shape their time, and whose legacy continues to influence and inspire American ideals.
Explore the Galleries
By African American Hands Self-Guided Tour
Take a self-guided tour of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg. Use this resource to learn more about artworks in our collections and the African Americans who created them.
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BRINGING HISTORY TO LIFE
Williamsburg Bray School
Colonial Williamsburg and William & Mary have identified a building that once housed the Williamsburg Bray School, an 18th-century institution dedicated to the education of enslaved and free Black children. Now, we are working to share the complex history of what is likely the oldest extant building in the United States dedicated to the education of Black children – and the stories of those who were part of it.
First Baptist Church Excavation Project
Colonial Williamsburg has partnered with the First Baptist Church of Williamsburg and the Let Freedom Ring Foundation to locate the remains of the Nassau Street site of the First Baptist Church. The First Baptist Church of Williamsburg is one of the country’s earliest African American congregations and was founded by free and enslaved Black worshippers.
Explore Virtually
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Slavery & Remembrance
This online resource tells the story of the creation and evolution of the transatlantic slave trade, slavery, and their legacies.
Created Equal
This is a museum theatre exploration of African American perspectives on the Declaration, the revolutions it inspired, and the ongoing struggle for equality and freedom in America.
Read Blogs
Resources for Understanding Race and Inequality Through History
Telling Their Stories
The Benjamin Lewis Spraggins, Sr. Sociable Carriage
200 Years of Returns: A Cross-Cultural Collaboration
Restoring Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church Cemetery Posts
Bringing the Past to Life: From Archaeologists to Actors
Watch Videos
Black History Month
More than half of 18th-century Williamsburg residents were African American. Join us every February for Black History Month and discover their untold stories of those who lived, loved, and strove to create a better future.
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Plan Your Visit
Admission Tickets
To experience all that the Historic Area has to offer, including tours of original 18th-century buildings, personal interaction with townspeople, vibrant gardens, two museums, and so much more—you’ll need an admission ticket.
Stay With Us
Enjoy Colonial Williamsburg to the fullest with a stay at one of our five unique hotel properties. They are conveniently located within and surrounding the Historic Area, just minutes from all the action.