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than anywhere else in the United States, the Chesapeake region offers powerful
opportunities to unfold the story of African-American slavery and freedom
— a narrative central to the larger panoply of American history, from the
early colonial era through the Revolution, the early Republic, the Civil
War, and the Civil Rights era. For over two centuries, slavery and freedom
in America were inextricably intertwined, and it is impossible to understand
the history of our country without understanding that paradox. It is a legacy
that continues to have strong repercussions in our society today.
In July 2007, a group of students and teachers embarked on a journey around the Chesapeake Bay and through more than 250 years of the American past. The group explored famous historic sites, as well as little-known places — houses, plantations, forts, archaeological digs — where the past is still very much present, and the struggle for freedom comes vividly to life. We learned about some of the men, women, and even children — both black and white — who fought heroically, in large and small ways, to make their country realize its full promise of liberty for all.
You can follow our Chesapeake Journey day-by-day, through words and pictures, here.
A Chesapeake Journey: From Slavery to Freedom