The Black Boatmen of Central Virginia - Presentation
Schedule
Thu, 07 May, 2026 at 07:30 pm
UTC-04:00Location
757 Sandusky Dr, Lynchburg, VA, United States, Virginia 24502 | Lynchburg, VA
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Join us for this exciting free lecture in the Historic Sandusky visitor center. This event is made possible by the Potter Lecture Fund.Before the railroad reshaped the Virginia landscape, the James River was the high-stakes highway of the Commonwealth, powered by a courageous elite: the Black boatmen. This presentation, a preview of Ms. Baskerville’s upcoming book, The Black Boatmen of the James River, will provide an overview of her research on the hidden lives of these men who navigated the batteaux through treacherous rapids to build Virginia’s commercial empire. From the stone locks of Lynchburg to the global flour mills of Richmond, these men were more than laborers; they were industrial athletes and architects of freedom. Discover how they leveraged hydro-intelligence to navigate both the physical currents of the river and the paper walls of a slaveholding state. This presentation explores some of the local watermen dynasties and their families critical to Virginia’s economic development.
Bio:
Viola Osborne Baskerville, J.D. (Juris Doctor) is a member of two genealogical lineage societies: NSDAF (National Society Descendants of American Farmers), SDUSMP (Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage) with deep roots in Buckingham County, Virginia. As a Richmond native, she has dedicated her career to public service and preserving Virginia's history. Currently, she is the President of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Greater Richmond, Virginia Chapter. She served on the Richmond City Council and was later a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1998-2006) where she focused on historic preservation and inclusive representation.
Ms. Baskerville played pivotal roles in saving the Historic Richmond Community Hospital, placement of the Arthur Ashe Monument on Monument Avenue, establishing the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial at the State Capital, and, as Secretary of Administration, restoring the State Capitol building. She piloted a research project showcasing Reconstruction Era Black Legislators. The project’s content is hosted on the Virginia General Assembly’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission webpage. She also served as Virginia’s Secretary of Administration from 2006-2010.
Ms. Baskerville holds degrees from the College of William and Mary (BA) and the University of Iowa, College of Law (JD). She was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Bonn, Germany (1973-1974) and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Richmond. In 2020, she was recognized as one of “Today’s Agents of Change” by the Virginia Museum of History and Culture for her significant contributions to the community. She is married and has two sons.
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Where is it happening?
757 Sandusky Dr, Lynchburg, VA, United States, Virginia 24502Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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