Lott Cary
Strong Men and Women in Virginia History
Born into slavery, Lott Cary purchased his own freedom and became an early leader in the new West African colony of Liberia.
2015 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History Honoree
Mary Berkley Minor Blackford
Virginia Women In History
Appalled by the violence of slavery and its effect on society, Mary Minor Blackford became a vocal anti-slavery supporter.
2014 Virginia Women in History Honoree
Mary Randolph
Virginia Women In History
As author of <em>The Virginia House-Wife</em> (1824), the first American regional cookbook, Mary Randolph transformed cooking and household management in ways that continue to influence chefs and domestic supervisors.
2009 Virginia Women in History Honoree
Noah Davis
African American Trailblazers
Born into slavery, Noah Davis raised more than $4,000 to free himself and his family members during the 1840s and 1850s.
2012 African American Trailblazers Honoree
Blind Billy
African American Trailblazers
An enslaved man, Blind Billy was a renowned Lynchburg fifer.
2008 African American Trailblazers Honoree
Mary Peake
African American Trailblazers
Mary Smith Kelsey Peake was an educator of both free and enslaved African Americans prior to and during the Civil War.
2010 African American Trailblazers Honoree