The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is introducing a new video series, Curators At Home, which will take viewers beyond the bare facts of Virginia history as VMHC curators uncover the real stories and real people behind the dates.
Viewers are invited to access these free online premieres each Friday via the VMHC Facebook and YouTube channels. All are asked to leave questions for our curators in the comments section during these premieres.
Virginia on Film
Friday, May 8 at 12:00pm
Presented by Andrew Talkov, Sr. Director of Curatorial Affairs
The film industry has been telling stories about Virginia since 1897 and the Commonwealth has been the home of award-winning actors, the setting of powerful stories, and the backdrop for some of our most iconic films and television shows. Sit back, grab some popcorn, and join the VMHC as we share some of our favorite films associated with Virginia – minus the sticky floors.
Mortal, Maternal, Mannish & Monstrous: Suffragist Images, 1900-1920
Friday, May 15 at 12:00pm
Presented by Dr. Karen A. Sherry, Museum Collections Curator
As the fight for female suffrage in America intensified in the early 20th century, pro- and anti-suffrage forces deployed propagandist imagery to convey their message. Images of suffragists appeared in a range of guises from nurturers fostering a more perfect union to shrews wreaking chaos on the establishment. Discover what period images of suffragists tell us about historical attitudes toward women and their role in American civic life.
A Letter is Worth A Thousand Words
Friday, May 22 at 12:00pm
Presented by L. Paige Newman, Manuscript Collections Curator
and Laura E.G. Stoner, Sallie and William B. Thalhimer III, Senior Archivist
Processing manuscript collections that span nearly four centuries can preset significant challenges as well as exciting opportunities for discovery. VMHC archivists must use their detective skills to uncover the real stories that lay beneath the written word and hone their organizational toolkit to make them discoverable for the public. Explore the journey manuscripts take as they make their way into the collection and the sleuthing techniques archivists use to reveal their substance.
True Crime: Sex, Murder, and the Trial of Thomas Cluverius
Friday, May 29 at 12:00pm
Presented by Andrew Talkov, Sr. Director of Curatorial Affairs
In 1885 the lifeless body of 23-year-old Fanny Madison, an unwed teacher from Bath, Virginia, was found floating in Richmond’s Old Reservoir. Although authorities believed she committed suicide, evidence at the scene suggested Madison mad have been murdered. Police arrested Madison’s cousin, attorney Thomas J. Cluverius, and the trial captured the nation’s attention. Was Madison guilty or innocent?
Virginia Stories from the Underground Railroad
Friday, June 5 at 12:00pm
Presented by Dr. Karen A. Sherry, Museum Collections Curator
Mailing yourself in a crate, disguising yourself as the opposite gender, stowing away on a shop. These are some of the ingenious ploys enslaved Virginians used to escape a life of bondage. Running away was a very risky prospect and the chances of success were small. Learn how some black Virginians beat the odds through a combination of determination, luck and assistance from the clandestine networks of the Underground Railroad.
For more details on accessing these free video premieres on the VMHC’s Facebook and YouTube channels, visit VIrginiaHistory.org/AtHome.
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