July Ivy Talk: Dr. William Kurtz to share story of Black men who served in the Civil War

The Ivy Creek Foundation’s July Ivy Talk will focus on African American Union Soldiers from Albemarle County.

The talk will be held in-person and virtually on July 19, 2023 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.  The in-person event will be held in the Education Building at Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm, 1780 Earlysville Rd., Charlottesville, Va.

“­­­We are excited to host Dr. Kurtz and learn about his research and this important history. This is an important part of our history and a story that has often been overlooked,” Ivy Creek Foundation Executive Director Sue Erhardt said.

The Foundation’s mission is to inspire and engage the community in the stewardship of natural resources and rich African-American cultural history by connecting people to the past and present by honoring the land, history and community.

The in-person talk is free, but registration online is requested.

The Foundation hosts Ivy Talks every month with a topic related to history, conservation, preservation and natural history. This month’s speaker Dr. William Kurtz, former Managing Director and Digital Historian at the John L. Nau III Center for Civil War History at UVA, will present “Black Virginians in Blue: The Untold Stories of Albemarle County’s U.S. Colored Troops.”

His presentation will tell the story of more than 250 Black men from Albemarle County and Charlottesville who served in the Union Army or Navy during the American Civil War. Kurtz’s talk is the result of nearly five years of research and writing conducted by a team of UVA students under his direction. He will discuss the incredible sacrifices this group of men made to save the Union and end slavery.