The Civil War brought an end to slavery and new mobility to African Americans in the South. In the 1870s, African Americans from Virginia began moving to Newton because of its reputation as a stronghold of abolitionists. The 1880 census lists 69 Black Newton residents born in Virginia; more came after that. So many settled in West Newton that they named a street Virginia Road. This talk traces the stories of families from the Richmond area who made this move, illustrating what they left behind and the community they helped to build after they arrived. Register here.
