Historical Places and Landmarks
Tucker Family Cemetery and 1619 African Landing Memorial - Hampton, VA
The Tucker Family Cemetery is a historic African American burial ground, believed to be one of the oldest Black cemeteries in the United States. It is associated with the Tucker family, descendants of Anthony and Isabella Tucker, who are recognized as some of the first documented Africans in English North America. Located in Hampton, Virginia, the cemetery serves as a sacred resting place for generations of the Tucker family and the broader Black community, symbolizing resilience, heritage, and the enduring legacy of African Americans in the region.
Image of flower and cross over a grave in the historic Tucker Family Cemetery.
Graphic display of the historical significance of the Tucker Cemetary.
Sign detailing the first domesticated Africans in Virginia.
1619 African Landing Memorial at Fort Monroe, Virginia.
Waterfront view at Fort Monroe.
Waterfront view at Fort Monroe.
Featured black literature within Fort Monroe bookstore.
Featured literature within Fort Monroe bookstore.
Sign detailing an event commemorating an event regarding the first enslaved African landing in Hampton, VA.
The Virginia 1705 slave codes, in effect, embedded in white supremacy. The graphic depicts the Virginia Company of London's coat of arms. Chartered by King James I, this was a joint stock company that established the settlement of Jamestown in 1607.
Virginia Slave Codes: 1662 - "A child's status, free or slave, depended on the mother's status." 1667 - "Christian Baptism did not exempt Africans from slavery". 1669 - "It was not a crime to kill an unruly slave in the course of punishment." 1680 - "The ability of slaves to bear arms and meet at gatherings was restricted." 1705 - "All black, mulatto, and Indian slaves were considered property."
![Quote by Reverend Morgan Godwyn, 1680; "[The] two words, Negro and slave [had] by custom grown Homogenous and Convertible."](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62de12a2e2512d7fda09f6a1/d1af77c6-7d02-4b44-a50e-b36efe88edbb/Photo+Aug+25+2023%2C+2+35+25+PM.jpg)
Quote by Reverend Morgan Godwyn, 1680; "[The] two words, Negro and slave [had] by custom grown Homogenous and Convertible."
Exhibit featuring Virginia Slave Codes and how they enabled continued oppression, prejudice, and racism.
Virginia Slave Codes supporting the continuation of oppression and slavery from 1662-1705.
Angela: "Among the first female Africans to arrive in Virginia was a woman named Angela. Captured in West Central Africa, she was enslaved by Captain William Pierce in Newtowne, Jamestown."
African Matriarchs: "Slavery disrupted African family ties and culture through capture, trade, sale, and forced servitude. This statue is dedicated to Angela, Isabella, and the millions of African women, spread across thousand of miles and hundreds of years, who helped carry on African traditions."
Isabella: "Isabella and her future husband Antoney arrived from West Central Africa on the White Lion. Their son William was the first documented African child born in English North America. Isabella, Antoney, and William lived in present day Hampton."
Statue within an exhibit featuring African Matriarchs and their significant roles in their communities.
Seeking Refuge: "These three ordinary men took extraordinary actions to secure their freedom. Thousands of other African Americans followed. This sculpture is dedicated to all the freedom seekers who sought refuge at Fort Monroe."
Choosing Freedom: "Having lived a life of enslavement, these three men made the bold decision to risk everything for a new life. In this way, they created their own legacy of freedom."
The First Contrabands: "On May 23, 1861, three enslaved men --Frank Baker, James Townsend, and Shepard Mallory-- escaped from Confederate lines at Sewell's Point and journeyed across Hampton Roads under cover of darkness to Fort Monroe."
Statues of three of the first contrabands.
Image of list of names at Fort Monroe.
Sign featuring the artist and sculptor behind the African Landing Memorial; Brian Owens.
Welcoming display of the Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center
Graphic detailing the UNESCO Slave Route operated out of Fort Monroe.
Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center directory.
