As the American Revolution broke out in New England in the spring of 1775, dramatic events unfolded in Virginia that proved every bit as decisive as the battles of Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill in uniting the colonies against Britain. That June, following his raid on the powder magazine in Williamsburg in April and increasing tensions with patriots, Virginia’s last royal governor Lord Dunmore fled the capital and built a stronghold in Norfolk. In November, Dunmore issued a proclamation promising freedom to enslaved people and indentured servants owned by patriots who joined the British war effort. Several hundred enslaved people joined Dunmore’s Ethiopian Regiment, which saw combat in late 1775 and into 1776. Join author Andrew Lawler as he traces these momentous events that helped push Virginians towards independence.
Wine & cheese reception with speaker and book signing. Part two of the 2026 Summer Speaker Series
Tickets: $50/presentation, $95 couple/presentation, or $140/series. Tickets here: 2026 Summer Speaker Series
