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Visit
“Mapping the Commonwealth: 1816–1826” in the Exhibition
Gallery
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On view at the Library through June
7,
2025, “Mapping the Commonwealth, 1816–1826,” tells
the story of 10 years, five governors, two principal surveyors and one
lead engraver — the time frame and team needed to create one of the
first official state maps in the nation.
The exhibition
presents examples from 40 manuscript maps that highlight the
painstaking
task of creating Virginia's first official state map. Combining art
and
science, these surveys attest to the dedication, skill and stamina of
surveying teams who worked without the benefit of GPS and today's
technology.
If you missed senior map archivist Cassandra
Farrell’s virtual presentation titled “Early American Migrations” on
Nov. 7, you can watch a recording of the talk here.
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Left: a photograph of
the destruction of houses for the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike,
1956,
Virginia State Highway Commission, State Government Records
Collection. Right: a Southern Aid Life Insurance Company calendar
for
1956, Business Records Collection.
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Library
Receives Virginia Humanities Grant for a
New
Exhibition on the History of Richmond’s Jackson Ward
Neighborhood
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The Library of Virginia Foundation
has
been awarded a $20,000 grant from Virginia Humanities on behalf of the
Library to support an upcoming exhibition on the history of Richmond’s
Jackson Ward neighborhood. The funding is part of more than $207,185
in
Virginia Humanities grants and sponsorships awarded to 20 nonprofit
organizations.
The Library is a partner on the exhibition with
The JXN Project (JXN), a historic
preservation
nonprofit organization dedicated to capturing the pivotal role of the
ward in the Black American experience as one of the country’s first
historically registered Black urban neighborhoods. The exhibition will
explore Jackson Ward through the story of the Skipwith-Roper family,
starting with Abraham Peyton Skipwith, the area’s first known Black
homeowner.
The exhibition will be on display at the Library
for
10 months starting in 2025 and then become a long-term exhibition at
JXN’s reconstruction site for the Skipwith-Roper Cottage in Jackson
Ward. There will also be a traveling exhibition and related
educational
and public programming.
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Lobby
Display & Online Resources Commemorate 80th Anniversary of
World
War II
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“Homefront to Frontline: Virginia’s WWII Story,” a
lobby display, online exhibition and collection of online
resources commemorating the 80th anniversary of World War II,
explores the personal stories, sacrifices and contributions of
Virginians during one of the most significant events of the 20th
century.
Archival materials, posters, photographs,
letters
and documents bring to life the experiences of those who served in the
three branches of the military as well as those who supported the war
effort at home. An online portal offers access to our growing
WWII digital collections.
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This 1943 poster from
the Library’s World War II Poster Collection was published by the
U.S.
Treasury.
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Honor
a Loved One & Help
the
Library Save Virginia's Treasures
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Are you looking for a
meaningful way to honor a loved one who has been inspired by the
Library of Virginia? Consider adopting a piece of Virginia history
from the Library's vast collection and help us conserve the
treasures
of the Commonwealth.
By adopting an item
for
conservation in your name, or as a gift to honor others, your fully
tax-deductible donation will keep Virginia’s history accessible and
alive for generations to come! Your gift will be recognized in the
Library's online catalog record, and we will send a special tribute
notification to your honoree.
Adopt Virginia History
items are updated regularly as materials are identified for
conservation. For more information, click the button below or
contact
director of development Elaine McFadden.
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The Virginia Shop
displayed books by Virginia Literary Awards finalists during the
2024
awards gala.
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Nominations
for the 2025 Virginia Literary Awards
&
Art In Literature: The Mary Lynn Kotz Award
Are
Now Open
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Nominations are now open for the 2025 Virginia
Literary Awards and the Art In Literature: The Mary Lynn Kotz Award.
The
awards honor Virginia writers and celebrate their contributions to the
literary landscape of our state and nation.
Given to
Virginia authors in the categories of nonfiction, fiction, poetry and
children's literature — and to nonfiction authors for works about a
Virginia subject as well — the awards are presented at an annual gala
celebration that has become the Library's signature event and an
eagerly
anticipated cultural tradition in Richmond.
Art In Literature:
The Mary Lynn Kotz Award, presented by the Library and the Virginia
Museum of Fine Arts, recognizes an outstanding book that is written
primarily in response to a work (or works) of art while also showing
the
highest literary quality as a creative or scholarly work on its own
merit. Although submissions for the Kotz Award require no Virginia
connections, the award is part of the Virginia Literary
Awards
Books published in 2024 qualify as submissions, assuming
they meet all other criteria. The Kotz Award submission deadline is
Dec. 31, 2024, while the submission deadline for the
other Virginia Literary Awards categories is March 1,
2025.
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Items
Related to Gabriel’s Conspiracy Added to Virginia Untold: The
African American Narrative Project
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Newly digitized material related to Gabriel’s
Conspiracy is now available on Virginia Untold: The African
American Narrative. Thanks in large part to work completed this summer
by Library of Virginia intern Kade McGrail, 88 additional records
related to this historic event are now fully indexed, processed and
available online.
Gabriel’s Conspiracy originated as a
plan
by enslaved men to attack Richmond and destroy slavery in Virginia in
1800. The digitized material includes records from more than 50
criminal
trials of enslaved people who were involved and several petitions,
pieces of correspondence and court documents from Governor James
Monroe's administration concerning citizens and officials reacting to
the event. This collection is useful for scholars and researchers as
well as educators and teachers looking to access primary source
materials about this pivotal event in Virginia history. A large
portion
of these records have been transcribed.
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In this criminal trial
indictment document, an enslaved man named John was charged with
insurrection and conspiring with Gabriel Prosser.
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Add
Virginia-Themed Gifts to Your Holiday Shopping
List
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Discover the Virginia Shop’s unique selection of
Virginia-themed books and souvenirs, state seal gifts, and much more.
Get free shipping on any order over $75 with code
GEORGE24 through Dec. 15, 2024. Shop in-store at the
Library, Tuesday–Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and at the Capitol,
Monday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Or shop online anytime.
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Show
Your Love for Our Programs With a T-shirt, Hoodie, Hat or Tote
Bag
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Apparel and other items created for
the Library of Virginia’s annual Transcribe-a-versary events are now
available for purchase at an online shop presented by the Friends of the
Virginia State Archives. These items make great gifts! All proceeds
benefit Library collections and programs.
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