First Africans Commemoration on August 15, 2026 at Jamestown Settlement
First Africans Commemoration – Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 2 pm at Jamestown Settlement
Jamestown Settlement, a museum of 17th-century Virginia history and culture, will honor the legacies of the first recorded Africans brought to Virginia in 1619 with two dynamic programs on Saturday, August 15, blending history, music and religion.
The story of the first recorded Africans brought to Virginia in August 1619, as well as their culture and traditions, unfolds year-round in Jamestown Settlement’s immersive exhibition galleries with period artifacts, interactives and films, including the “From Africa to Virginia” multimedia presentation.
Black Churches in Virginia History • 2 to 4 p.m.
The Robins Foundation Theater is the setting for a powerful conversation about the development of the Black church in Virginia and its impact on the community today, followed by a performance by the Freedom Choir, organized by Sylvia Tabb-Lee and featuring musical director James Marsh.
The distinguished panel features:
• Travis Harris, Ph.D., a Norfolk State University assistant professor and world-renown scholar of African diaspora and the Black experience, will look at the primary religious artifacts found in Virginia in the 17th century.
• Brandon Lee, a Williamsburg native, actor, musician and historical character interpreter and University of Virginia alumnus with a background in African and African American studies, will explore Black churches in revolutionary Williamsburg.
• The Rev. Dr. Carlon Lassiter of Saint John Baptist Church in Williamsburg, Va., and a respected scholar of the African American religious experience, will lead a discussion on the importance of Black churches to the community today.
The program is free with museum admission.
Visiting Jamestown Settlement
Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, Jamestown Settlement is located on Route 31 South near the Colonial Parkway, adjacent to Historic Jamestowne. Admission is $21 for adults and $11 for ages 6-12. Children ages 5 and under are free. Residents of James City County, York County and the City of Williamsburg, including William & Mary students, receive free admission to both museums with proof of residency. Annual memberships are available, offering discounts at the museum shops and café. Parking is free.
For more information, visit jyfmuseums.org or call (757) 253-4838. Follow us on social @jyfmuseums.
Museum gallery exhibits & films
Learn about African and African American experiences in 17th-century Virginia through Jamestown Settlement’s expansive gallery exhibits, dramatic films and engaging interactives that share the story of Virginia Indian, English and West Central African cultures.
Using period artifacts and innovative technology, exhibits share historical accounts of the first documented Africans taken from their homeland in Ndongo (Angola) in 1619 to life in the Virginia colony and the evolution of a new African American culture. The “From Africa to Virginia” multimedia presentation chronicles African encounters with Europeans, impact on African culture and the development of the transatlantic slave trade.
The documentary film, “1607: A Nation Takes Root” is shown every 30 minutes. The film traces the evolution of the Virginia Company that sponsored the Jamestown colony, examines the relationship between the English colonists and Powhatan Indians, and chronicles the arrival of the first recorded Africans in 1619 – including the story of Angelo, one of the first African women named in Jamestown’s historical record.
Attend the First Africans Commemoration event
The First Africans Commemoration special event is included with museum admission.
Residents of James City County, York County and the City of Williamsburg, including William & Mary students, receive free admission with proof of residency.More Info
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