Collections

This collection includes a composition notebook with 34 leaves of lined paper (22 pages with handwritten text), a laid-in stapled gathering of 8 leaves (6 pages with text), and a Howard University Hour Examination sheet. It was compiled by an African-American woman, Anna Jean Snowden, who attended Howard University and later taught at the Tuskegee Institute. The notebook contains her coursework at Howard and educational interests as well as her attendance at the Annual Negro Farmers' Conference at Tuskegee in 1917.

This oral history collection encompasses interviews that tell the story of the Bray School, the first extant building dedicated to the education of free and enslaved black children in the United States. The William & Mary Bray School Lab, part of the Williamsburg Bray School Initiative, has been researching and promoting the history of the Bray School and its legacy. Part of this work has entailed conducting oral histories with descendants of Bray School students and those researching or interpreting the Bray School's legacy.

Caroline County (Va.) Land Records, 1728-1840, include deeds, plats, articles of agreement, processioners' returns, and miscellaneous land related records. The deeds, plats, and articles of agreement were exhibits in Caroline County chancery causes and judgments.

Caroline County (Va.) Wills, 1733-1841, record the deceased's plan for how his or her estate was to be divided among his or her heirs following his or her death. Information commonly recorded in wills include the name of the deceased, also referred as the testator; names of heirs; a listing of real and personal property (including slaves) and how it was to be divided among the heirs; names of individuals who were to be the will's executors; the date will was written; and the date will was recorded at the court house. The wills were exhibits in Caroline County chancery causes and judgments.

The collection contains one photograph album and one real photograph postcard.

Court documents, 1820, relating to a case between Matilda Baker and William Lewis, who is described as "a man of color." Baker alledged that Lewis tried to rape her and the court documents are primarily bonds to ensure the appearance of the defendant, plantiff, and witnesses in the case. Lewis was convicted and setenced to a fine of one cent and 39 lashes. He appealed on the basis of a new witness, but the result of that appeal is not known.

The Culpeper County (Va.), Circuit Court, Court Records, 1793-1926 circa, includes miscellaneous court records of the following type: Bonds, Criminal, Deeds, Grants, and Judgments. The criminal causes related to free African Americans who stayed in Virginia beyond 12 months following their emancipation. Chancery causes previously included in this material have been removed and indexed with the Culpeper County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1829-1913.

Dinwiddie County (Va) Coroners' Inquisitions, 1871-1919, are investigations into the deaths of individuals who died by a sudden violent, unnatural or suspicious manner, or died without medical attendance. Causes of death found in coroners' inquisitions include murder, infanticide, suicide, domestic violence, exposure to elements, drownings train accidents, automobile accidents, and natural causes, or as commonly referred to in the 19th century, visitation by God. Documents commonly found in coroners' inquests include the inquisitions, depositions and summons. Criminal papers such as recognizance bonds can be found in coroner inquisitions. Information found in the inquisitions include the name of the coroner, the names of the jurors, the name and age of the deceased if known, gender and race of the deceased, and when how, and by what means the deceased came to his or her death. Information found in the depositions include the name of the deponent and his or her account of the circumstances that led to the death of the deceased.

The collection contains a hand-written oral story told to Emma Lou Vaughan by her grandfather of his work on the underground railroad in Kentucky.