Resistance in Virginia wasn’t quiet… it was war. 💥From Nat Turner’s 1831 rebellion to the —

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]Resistance wasn't subtle, it was explosive. 1831, Nat Turner, an enslaved preacher, led the deadliest revolt [music] in US history. His goal, escape south to the Great Dismal Swamp, a hidden wilderness where maroon communities lived. A safe haven for escaped slaves that had been thriving for generations. Hampton Roads waterfront was no less crucial. [music] Ships, steamers, and schooners became the secret highways [music] to freedom.

[00:00:24]1861, Virginia seceded, but Fort Monroe remained in Union hands. It became a loophole of liberty. Frank Baker, James Townsend, [music] and Shepard Mallory walked into the fort claiming they were property of the Confederacy, forcing the Union to declare them contraband.

[00:00:41]Thousands more black men from Hampton Roads enlisted in United [music] States Colored Troops, fighting bravely at battles like New Market Heights, >> [music] >> earning Medals of Honor.