Lynn Rainville, an archaeology and history professor at Sweet Briar College in Amherst County, has created a project that catalogues and maps rural cemeteries in two Virginia James River counties. The site, African-American Cemeteries in Albemarle & Amherst Counties, provides a focus on graveyards where markers are often the first to disappear.
‘A lot of these cemeteries contain un-inscribed gravestones,’ said Rainville, also a visiting researcher at the University of Virginia. ‘If you do have them on your property, unless you start looking for it, you might very well miss it.’
As development becomes more common, Rainville said it’s going to be important that developers and landowners know where these cemeteries are.
‘If they were hidden before, the bulldozers discover them,’ said Scot French, a U.Va. history professor who leads the Virginia Center for Digital History.
While French said there are laws in place to deal with people who knowingly destroy cemeteries, the Rainville Web site makes it easier for developers to avoid gravesites.
Rainville connects readers to the history of slavery and segregation in Virginia, a vital resource in the wake of Virginia’s apology this past week for its role in slavery.
Rural cemeteries in Virginia are vanishing from record and memory when landowners die or when development occurs. Rainville’s project serves as vital map to a world that could easily be lost and forgotten. In that light, they are always searching for more information about historic black cemeteries in either Albemarle or Amherst County Virginia. If you have any additional information about the cemeteries contained in this website or if you know of others located within the two counties, please contact them.
Source: AP on Topix
Posted by river queen at 1:54 PM PST
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Founded in 1940, the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society seeks to study, preserve, and promote the history of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia. The Society strives to accomplish this mission through a variety of public programs, including exhibits, publications, lectures, walking tours, oral history interviews, and various educational programs.
And, do they have the exhibits! If you visit their site, you’ll be treated with pages of old photographs, information about upcoming exhibits, and information about their resources, including their library.
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Posted by river queen at 4:11 PM PST
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category: News
I’m pleased to announce that the James River Genealogy blog has been listed at the Genealogy Blog Finder. So, if you forget this site’s URL, you can go to the Blog Finder at http://blogfinder.genealogue.com/ to find your way. While you’re there, you can also browse through several hundred and growing genealogical sites listed at this new search base. You might lost some hours looking around, but you’ll have fun!
Posted by river queen at 8:54 PM PST
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category: News
The National Genealogical Society, in cooperation with ProQuest CSA, seeks nominations for its annual award to a librarian who has made significant contributions to the field of genealogy and local history. The nominee must have at least five years experience in a public or special library.
The award is named for the late P. William Filby, Director of the Maryland Historical Society and author of many outstanding genealogical reference books. First presented at the 1999 NGS Conference in the States, the award was created and presented by publisher Scholarly Resources of Wilmington, Delaware. In 2004 and 2005 the Godfrey Memorial Library sponsored the award. Since 2006, the $1,000 Filby Prize has been sponsored by ProQuest of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The deadline for nominations is April 1, 2007. Check the NGS Web site, www.ngsgenealogy.org, for criteria and submission information. The award will be presented at the NGS Banquet in Richmond, Virginia during the NGS Conference in the States May 16-19, 2007.
Posted by river queen at 1:14 AM PST
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I haven’t posted much lately because I got caught up in a great book about the James River by Bob Deans. The River Where America Began: A Journey Along the James isn’t a book about genealogy, but Deans offers an excellent overview about everything that happened along the James River from Clovis tips to the Civil War. So if you want to read about what happened when and receive a solid general education about this area’s history, then Deans’ book is for you.
If you aren’t satisfied with this short and enthusiastic review about this book, read my review at Goinhome to learn more. You can also visit the book’s Web site to learn more. Enjoy!
Posted by river queen at 7:47 PM PST
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