Civil War Contraband Program
On Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m. a program on Civil War Contraband will begin at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Hopewell. Ms. Gerri L. Hollins, Founder and President of the Contraband Historical Society and descendent from the Contraband Slaves, will be the guest speaker. Many stories of African Americans during the Civil War have been […]
On Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m. a program on Civil War Contraband will begin at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Hopewell. Ms. Gerri L. Hollins, Founder and President of the Contraband Historical Society and descendent from the Contraband Slaves, will be the guest speaker.
Many stories of African Americans during the Civil War have been told from stories of enslaved people, the Underground Railroad, and stories of free blacks. However, caught somewhere between freedom and slavery were the Civil War Contraband. Contraband was a term used to describe escaped slaves who, in order to find protection from being returned to slave owners, chose to work for the Union Army. While still under the control of others, they waited and hoped for a better life. Hundreds of Contraband worked at City Point during the siege of Petersburg. They unloaded ships, cooked, and completed many other tasks that their skills would allow.
Ms. Hollins is not only an educator and historian, but also an internationally acclaimed concert artist. She will demonstrate her musical skills during this program as she performs songs from a folk opera she wrote entitled, “Freedom’s Fortress, the Contraband Slaves Story”.
This event is free of charge and is sponsored by Petersburg National Battlefield. The location for the program is different from what has been listed on the Petersburg National Battlefield website. St. John’s Episcopal Church is located at 505 Cedar Lane in Hopewell, Virginia in the historic district of City Point. For more information, please call park ranger Ann Blumenschine at (804) 732-3531.
Petersburg National Battlefield was established in order to commemorate the campaign, siege, and defense of Petersburg, Virginia, in 1864 and 1865 and to preserve for historical purposes the breastworks, earthworks, walls or other defenses or shelters used by the armies.
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