Virginia was one of the largest slave-holding states, with its port city of Norfolk being the fifth largest hub in the slave trade. In the 1830 federal census, Norfolk’s Black and white population was almost half and half. Many free and enslaved Blacks worked in the maritime industry. This made Norfolk a major port on the Maritime Underground Railroad. Many smaller Black churches and neighborhoods existed to help plan and execute fugitive escapes. Workers knew which ships’ ca

A Christmas Eve Surprise, Part 3, a short story from Sophia of the Bright Red Sneakers.