Program Portrays Trailblazing Williamsburg Women

Program Portrays Trailblazing Williamsburg Women

By Amber Lester Kennedy Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Valarie Holmes portrays former slave Lydia Broadnax.

A new one-woman program will tell the stories of three African-American women who refused to accept society’s limits in Williamsburg.

In “To Be Seen as an American,” Colonial Williamsburg interpreter Valarie Holmes will portray three Williamsburg women who fought against boundaries – Lydia Broadnax, Katie Marie and Clara Byrd Baker. The program will be presented at 3 p.m. Wednesdays from May 11 to June 8 at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Art Museum’s Hennage Auditorium.

Broadnax, who died between 1820 and 1827, was a slave and cook for George Wythe. She was emancipated in 1787 and at her death, owned a house and lot in Richmond. Katie Marie was educated, but not given the resources to teach others. Clara Byrd Baker, the namesake of the Williamsburg elementary school, was an educator who encouraged her students to pursue professional careers. She was often recognized for her involvement in the community until her death in October 1979.

Admission to the program is included with all Historic Area or museum passes. For more information, call 1-800-HISTORY.

Comments

0 #4 Guest 2011-05-05 07:57

Instead of criticizing how about embracing the effort and supporting it. Then it can be a platform to go and develop into other programs to include those you'd like.

I'm not from the area I welcome the change to get to know some of the name sakes of the area.

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0 #3 Guest 2011-05-05 07:56

Love it!! I'm proud of CW for providing programs that teach us about a time in history that often gets idealized and romanticized without a good solid sense of the struggle in that time that people had to face to "succeed." Portraying real stories about real people with real heartache and real personal triumphs should always be encouraged.

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-1 #2 Guest 2011-05-05 07:03

No matter how many anonymous 'negatives' are sent out after my comment, enough of us would like to have, from this SAME era of local history, a more representative group of ALL WOMEN who also succeeded against the odds...period! Hey, C.W., history actually includes ALL groups!!! In the 21st century, most of us understand that FACT. Let's hear it for the POSITIVES, too.

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-3 #1 Guest 2011-05-04 10:18

What about also adding at least three other local Williamsburg women, from major ethic backgrounds, to this C.W. program who succeeded in local history? We're into the 21st century, now, C.W., wanting to look at the historical significance of all women.

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