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Upcoming DEC Events

Descendants Day Symposium 2025

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Descendants Day: Saturday, September 13 | The Center at Belvedere
 

DEC is looking forward to having you join a day full of discussion on the intersections and activism and education. Located at The Center at Belvedere, this symposium will span advocacy starting with the Civil Rights movement -- including a keynote from Carlotta Walls LaNier of the Little Rock Nine -- coming to present-day efforts, and encouraging participants to ideate on the future.

This event is for those interested in listening to and discussing the:

  • impact of activism and education on the world around us

  • need for youth on the frontlines

  • necessity of reparations for the descendants of the enslaved

Or, if you're interested in:

  • connecting with others focused on their history

  • tapping into African-American centered advocacy

  • learning more about DEC and our partner orgs

We hope to see you there!

Past Events

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Unburying Voices

Join us on April 12th for Unburying Voices: Community-Engaged Reparative Justice, a symposium hosted by the VCU Health Humanities Lab. This event will feature discussions on the East Marshall Street Well Project, oral histories, and community-led reparative justice efforts. Speakers include members of the Descendants of Enslaved Communities at UVA and other advocates for historical truth and justice.
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Virginia Museum of History & Culture
10:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Free admission + lunch provided

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"Silenced Voices" Screening

Saturday, March 1 | 2pm | Jefferson School African American Heritage Center

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"Silenced Voices" is a short film documenting and describing the process and results of collaborative storytelling at a site of slavery. Descendants from both the enslaved communities and the enslaver’s family from Pharsalia Plantation came together, as Pharsalia descendants, for a week-long workshop exploring shared stewardship and concluding with a round table discussion. The film demonstrates what collective storytelling at a site of slavery can look like when all the stakeholders are committed to moving the narrative forward by presenting authentic and truthful accounts of slavery. Silenced Voices brought together Pharsalia descendants to share their ideas in an open, safe, and welcoming environment. Everyone had a voice; everyone’s voice was heard; and most importantly there was the shared understanding that people require different methods and amounts of time to process difficult truths.

"Meet Me at the Bench"
Monthly DEC-UVA Descendant Membership Meeting 

2nd Thursday of Every Month | 7pm | Zoom | Email for More

Please join the Descendants of Enslaved Communities at the University of Virginia for our monthly descendant membership meeting. The Descendants of Enslaved Communities at UVA invites you to join us for our monthly virtual membership meetings on the 2nd Thursday of every month at 7pm ET. Inspired by the Bench by the Road Project by Toni Morrison, "Meet Me at the Bench" is our opportunity to connect with one another, exchange resources, and share about the DEC's efforts. 

2023 Descendants Day
Family Reunion

April 15, 2023

Inaugural Descendants Day

April 9, 2021

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Dr. Andrea Douglas
Jefferson School African American Heritage Center

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Dr. Jody Allen
The Lemon Project at William and Mary

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Dr. Michael Blakey
Montpelier Descendants Committee

Guest Panelists

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