Genealogy society will examine slavery in Virginia

The next meeting of the Middle Peninsula African-American Genealogical and Historical Society, which includes members from Middlesex County, is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, and will be conducted online. The meeting will feature a talk by historian Alan S. Taylor about his book, “The Internal Enemy: Slavery and War in Virginia, 1772-1832.” This searing story of slavery and freedom in the Chesapeake Bay area reveals the pivot in the nation’s path between the founding and Civil War, with an emphasis on the impact that enslaved people in Virginia had on the War of 1812.

Frederick Douglass recalled that enslaved persons living along the Chesapeake Bay longingly viewed sailing ships as “freedom’s swift-winged angels.” In 1813, those angels appeared in the bay as British warships coming to punish the Americans for declaring war on the empire. Hundreds of enslaved persons paddled out to the warships seeking protection from the ravages of slavery. The runaways pressured the British admirals into becoming liberators.

As guides, pilots, sailors and marines, the formerly enslaved used their intimate knowledge of the countryside to transform the war. They enabled the British to escalate their onshore attacks and to capture and burn Washington, D.C.

Society 2024 dues of $25 are now due and may be paid at mpaagenealogicalsociety.org. (Support Us).

To receive an invitation for this virtual meeting or for information, email mpaaghs.va@gmail.com or call 804-651-8753.