RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – The Library of Virginia will present a free virtual talk on Wednesday, June 18 at noon by Tev'n Powers, a Virginia Humanities Fellow, on his archival research project “Fugitive Data Portraits: Self-Emancipation in Virginia.” Registration is required at https://lva-virginia.libcal.com/event/14631822.

Powers, a software engineer, independent researcher and community organizer, used Library of Virginia records from counties across the Commonwealth to understand more about the lived experiences of enslaved Black people and to document those who self-emancipated during the Civil War, in some cases being captured during their escape. 

Powers’ “Fugitive Data Portraits” website features interactive data visualizations that illuminate trends and patterns in what is documented of Black Virginians’ escapes from slavery. Contextualized by individual accounts of self-emancipation, these data portraits provide a glimpse into the identities and experiences of some of Virginia’s earliest freedom fighters, who often become footnotes in or were altogether omitted from the historical record and narratives of Black resistance.
 

ABOUT THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA 
The Library of Virginia is the leading source of information on Virginia’s history, government and people. The Library’s collections, containing more than 134 million items, document and illustrate the lives of both famous Virginians and ordinary citizens. Our online resources draw nearly 2 million website visits per year, and our on-site records, exhibitions and events bring in thousands of visitors annually. The Library is located in downtown Richmond near Capitol Square at 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Learn more at www.lva.virginia.gov.

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