Don't Grieve After Me

The Black Experience in Virginia 1619-2005

Don’t Grieve After Me was originally created as an exhibition in the 1980’s by Hampton University in collaboration with the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities (VFH).  The exhibit was updated in 2001 and a companion book was published in 2006.  

The Book

Co-published by Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Hampton University, this work contributes to the understanding of the African-American experience in Virginia over nearly 400 years.

Don’t Grieve After Me includes four narratives by scholars Tommy Bogger, Director of Archives at Norfolk State University; Sarah Hughes, Associate Professor of History at Hampton University (retired); Michael Hucles, Associate Professor of History at Old Dominion University; and Philip Morgan, Professor of History at Princeton University. The publication was edited by Christina S. Draper, Program Director for the African American Heritage program at the VFH.

Each narrative explores a number of themes in African-American history including migration patterns and the establishment of black Virginian culture; family, community, and religious life; the contributions of blacks to Virginia society through skilled and professional work; and their social and educational achievements and struggles. This work documents some of the state's untold stories, begins to fill in historical gaps, and corrects past omissions and misrepresentations. 

The Exhibit

The original exhibit was developed by the Hampton University Museum in cooperation with the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities with additional assistance from Colonial Williamsburg in the late 1980’s. In 2001, a twenty-five panel traveling exhibit was created using over one hundred archival photographs to reflect the black experience in Virginia and Virginia's African American legacy into the 21st century. Among the topics considered are migration patterns and the establishment of black Virginian culture; family, community, and religious life; the contributions of blacks to Virginia society through skilled and professional work; and their social and educational achievements and struggles. This handsome traveling exhibit was created with funding from Exxon-Mobil; the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, in partnership with the Hampton University Museum.

The exhibit is now available to non-profit and educational institutions in Virginia for a nominal fee. Please call (434) 924-3296 for further information. Download the Exhibit Resource Kit which contains installation instructions, a learning activity to accompany the exhibit and exhibit return instructions.